The National Council of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has welcomed the decision by former President and former MDP President Mohamed Nasheed and members of the Democrats Party to rejoin the MDP. At an informal meeting of the MDP National Council tonight, members’ opinions were sought regarding the Democrats’ decision. According to available information, all members who participated in the meeting were in favor of welcoming Nasheed and the Democrats members. In a statement issued after the informal meeting of the National Council, the MDP said that it is a party open to anyone who wants to do real work for the country.
“The party’s work will move forward strongly with President Nasheed and the new members joining,” the MDP statement said. The party said that at a time when democracy, gained through the hard work of many people, is in danger due to the government’s actions going out of control, this is a time when reform work needs to be done. Therefore, the MDP said that every member who joins the party will be members who will not hesitate to advocate for the country’s rights. The country’s largest opposition party said that it will always remain committed to holding the government accountable and ensuring the rights guaranteed by the constitution.
In a resolution passed at an informal meeting of the Democrats’ National Assembly yesterday, it was stated that the best way to win the upcoming local council elections, improve the country’s future, maintain an accountable state, and restore the eroding trust in a multi-party competitive political system is to have a strong opposition movement. Therefore, believing that it is important for many people to work together, the resolution pledged to join the MDP to achieve that goal. The Democrats was founded on July 12, 2023, amid political tensions between then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Nasheed during the most recent presidential election period. However, several senior figures who were instrumental in founding that party have rejoined the MDP earlier this year.
Before deciding to rejoin the MDP, Nasheed met with MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail last Monday. Fayyaz said that they had extensive discussions about changes in the political landscape and upcoming work. Fayyaz also said that the country can only be put back on the right track if everyone working for reform works together. When President Nasheed decided to rejoin the MDP, he had threatened to dismantle the MDP at the signing ceremony of the Democrats Party on the night of July 13, 2023. In his warning that night, he said that the MDP had fallen like a bunch of coconuts and that he would dismantle the party. MDP leadership and members believe that the party lost the 2023 presidential election because Nasheed founded the Democrats Party and that party also contested in the election.
