MDP Congress Opens With Proposal to Give Special Majlis Power to Remove Head of State

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) opened its Congress last night with a sweeping constitutional reform proposal that would create a powerful Special Majlis with authority to appoint and remove the country’s Head of State, fundamentally reshaping the Maldives’ system of government.

The proposal, submitted by former Economic Minister and sitting MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail and seconded by former Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb, forms part of the “Bodu Badhalu” (Major Change) reform roadmap backed by former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The proposed Special Majlis would bring together all members of the People’s Majlis and all elected local councillors, giving the body powers extending beyond ordinary parliamentary functions.

Under the proposal, the Special Majlis would have authority to approve future constitutional amendments, decide key state policy matters, appoint and dismiss designated state officials, appoint and remove the Head of State, and appoint and remove members of a proposed commission tasked with holding independent institutions accountable.

The body would not sit permanently. It would convene when necessary to exercise the powers assigned to it, with its members serving without fixed remuneration.

The Bodu Badhalu roadmap also proposes separating the current powers of the presidency between two distinct positions.

A Head of Government would be directly elected by the public and could be removed by the People’s Majlis, while a separate Head of State would be appointed and removed by the Special Majlis. Fayyaz has described the proposed arrangement as a hybrid system rather than a conventional parliamentary system.

The reform package also calls for a bicameral parliament, a cap on the total number of MPs, an upper house composed of experts and technical professionals, designated representation for women, and restructuring of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to safeguard judicial independence.

It further proposes that future constitutional amendments require approval through a direct public referendum, while introducing statutory recall mechanisms allowing voters to recall elected officials during their term.

Congress delegates are also scheduled to consider a charter amendment that would prevent the MDP Chairperson from participating in or overseeing the party’s presidential primary.

Under the proposed amendment, responsibility for organising and administering the primary would be transferred from the Chairperson to the President of the Appeals Judges Council. To ensure neutrality, no person holding an elected or secretariat position within the MDP would be eligible to serve on the council.

The proposed change comes as Fayyaz prepares to contest the MDP presidential primary with the backing of former President Nasheed. Under the current party constitution, the Chairperson is not barred from endorsing a candidate or administering internal elections other than the chair election itself.

Formal legislative proceedings of the MDP Congress will begin today, with 986 registered delegates expected to debate and vote on amendments to the party charter, alongside resolutions concerning the proposed structural reforms and decentralisation.

The Bodu Badhalu proposals, if adopted by the party, would seek to substantially alter the Maldives’ existing presidential model by separating the roles of Head of State and Head of Government and transferring significant constitutional authority to a new body representing MPs and local councillors.