Parliament Approves 19 Ministers, Rejects 3 in Muizzu’s Cabinet Proposal

The Parliament has approved 19 out of the 22 ministers proposed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, while rejecting three of his Cabinet nominees, in a session held this afternoon.

Originally slated for December 18, the voting process encountered a setback when the Government Oversight Committee’s initial report was dismissed. Following subsequent deliberations, an extraordinary session was convened on December 30, during which the revised committee report was endorsed.

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However, tensions escalated prior to the vote, as the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which holds a parliamentary majority, issued a directive known as a three-line red whip, signalling its intent to withhold approval for four cabinet appointees.

The issuance of the whip triggered confrontations between legislators aligned with the ruling coalition and those of the opposition, resulting in disruptions that impeded the parliamentary proceedings.

Ultimately, this afternoon, the delayed vote proceeded as scheduled. As anticipated, Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, and Attorney General Ahmed Usham, all subject to the three-line whip, were denied approval by the Parliament.

Dr. Haidar’s rejection came with a vote count of 46-24, while Attorney General Usham faced a vote of 44-24 against him. Islamic Minister Shaheem encountered a tighter margin, narrowly escaping rejection with a vote count of 31-30, alongside eight abstentions.

In a notable turn of events, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed, also targeted by the opposition whip, narrowly secured approval with a vote tally of 37-32.

The remaining 18 members of the cabinet, including Defense Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon and Home Minister Ali Ihusan, who faced the prospect of rejection if disruptions persisted, garnered parliamentary approval.