The main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), is currently going through a period of internal difficulty, with many members calling for unity, said former President Mohamed Nasheed on Saturday.
In a post shared on X, Nasheed reflected on the party’s current challenges and expressed hope that the MDP would overcome its divisions. He shared a verse from a poem by Hussain Salahuddin, the former Attorney General and renowned writer, which explores the deeper meaning of political unity.
Nasheed also referenced Ameen Didi’s 1933 book “Motaru Boatugge Gadubadu”, noting that Ameen had emphasized the importance of cabinet unity. He recalled that, historically, all cabinet members except Ibrahim Nasir and Ameen Didi had to travel by motorboat to Kolhumbu (Colombo, Sri Lanka), where the cabinet remained for a year.
“Today, many MDP members are saying that unity is essential,” wrote Nasheed, who previously served as both President of the Maldives and Chairperson of the MDP.
The post comes amid renewed tensions within the party. The split between Nasheed and former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih deepened after Solih’s victory in the January 28, 2023 presidential primary, which led to the formation of two factions. Nasheed’s supporters left the MDP in mid-May, and Nasheed himself resigned from the party on June 21, 2023.
(From L-R) MDP leader, former president Mohamed Nasheed, MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, and Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. (Photo/MDP)
Nasheed and his allies went on to form The Democrats, who contested the 2023 presidential election. Their candidate received seven percent of the vote in the first round. The Democrats declined to support the MDP in the runoff, contributing to Solih’s defeat.
Meanwhile, Fayyaz Ismail, who was elected MDP Chairperson on May 23, 2022, resigned from the post at a National Assembly session held last Sunday. Fayyaz, who also served as Minister of Economic Development under Solih’s administration, cited internal divisions as a key reason for stepping down. In his resignation letter, he wrote that he had assumed the role “with sweet hopes,” but acknowledged that the party had become fractured due to unresolved differences.
Then on Saturday, Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem announced on X that he will contest for the post of MDP Chairperson. Meekail, one of the youngest members of Parliament, said he is seeking the cooperation and support of party members as the MDP prepares to elect a new leader.