President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that the Maldivian people do not want a system of government that changes the country's governing structure without public support.
Speaking on the second episode of the "Nation Chat" podcast, the President said Maldivians had already made a clear decision regarding the country's system of governance.
President Muizzu stated that as the Maldives is a small nation made up of separate islands and that Maldivians favour a unitary state under a presidential system. He said Maldivians are one people, speaking one language and sharing a common heritage, and therefore prefer a system that preserves those characteristics.
The President said he does not believe Maldivians would support a system of government that could undermine the country's unity.
"Maldivians want to preserve those special characteristics. I do not believe Maldivians would want to lose their unity and cohesion by introducing a different system. A small group may support such a change, particularly if leaders of a political party decide to advocate for it," President Muizzu said.
Responding to a question on whether the current period is the most appropriate time for such a change and whether such a reform could be introduced, the President said Maldivians had already made their position on the system of government clear.
He also said the public understands the likely consequences of replacing the current presidential system, which was endorsed through a public vote, with a parliamentary system.
Referring to developed countries that operate under parliamentary systems, President Muizzu noted that prime ministers in those countries often change frequently. He questioned the motives of opposition figures advocating a change to the system of government.
"Many of those people want to hold power themselves. If that is the case, should positions such as President, Prime Minister and other senior offices simply be created to accommodate everyone? If possible, they would even bring back a king," he said.
The President further stated that, although the Maldives does not have a purely presidential system, the Constitution contains many features associated with presidential governance.
Under a presidential system, the President serves as both Head of State and Head of Government and is elected directly by the people. In a parliamentary system, the government is formed from within the legislature. The Head of State remains the President, while the Head of Government is the Prime Minister, who is usually chosen from the party or coalition holding a majority in parliament.
In 2007, Maldivians voted in a national referendum to determine whether the country should adopt a presidential or parliamentary system. The majority voted in favour of retaining the presidential system that was in place at the time.