In a significant blow to Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, the nation’s main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), as per reports, is gearing up to initiate an impeachment motion against him.
Reports indicate that the MDP has amassed enough signatures to proceed with the impeachment inquiry, although the submission is pending.
When will the impeachment motion be submitted?
According to a lawmaker from the MDP, “They have yet to submit it,” as quoted by Sun.com.
Another local media report, as quoted by the Business Standard, mentioned that the decision to pursue the impeachment bid was unanimous in the parliamentary group meeting of the MDP.
In an exclusive conversation with WION, one of the MDP leaders said that the impeachment motion had been brought as the current government had jeopardised relations with India.
How many votes are needed for the impeachment?
For an impeachment motion, a two-thirds majority is needed. Currently, the Maldivian Parliament consists of 80 members, down from the earlier 87.
According to local media, impeachment charges can be brought against the President with 56 votes.
The MDP and Democrats collectively hold more than 56 seats—45 from the MDP and 13 from the Democrats. Additionally, the People’s National Congress has 13, while there are three independents, and the Jumhooree Party and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) each have two members.
Impeachment amendment
In a political manoeuvre with strategic implications, seven lawmakers resigned from the Maldives Parliament in November. They did they to assume key roles in President Mohamed Muizzu’s government. Despite the significance of this reshuffle, the country’s elections commission chose to forgo organising by-elections, citing the upcoming parliamentary polls set for 2024.
Seizing the moment, the primary opposition force, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which boasts a majority in Parliament, deftly amended the standing orders.
They made it so that the seats left vacant by departing lawmakers are not factored into the overall count of members of Parliament. As a result, the total number of MPs has undergone a reduction, shrinking from the initial 87 to a revised count of 80.
This is particularly important in the context of impeachment proceedings against President Mohamed Muizzu. The amendment has effectively lowered the threshold for impeachment votes, now standing at 54, down from the prior requirement of 58.
As per the Hindustan Times, the country’s attorney general’s office has filed a case with the Supreme Court regarding the recent amendment to parliament’s standing orders that allow opposition lawmakers to launch impeachment proceedings against the president.
Attorney General Ahmed Usham confirmed the case registration on Sunday. However, the Supreme Court has yet to issue a statement.
In a related development, a day before the reported impeachment plans, the PPM-PNC coalition submitted no-confidence motions against Maldives Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem, both belonging to the MDP.
The political landscape in the Maldives appears to be undergoing significant turbulence, as various factions assert their positions within the parliament.
Scuffle in parliament
This development unfolded following clashes in the country’s Parliament over the approval of four members of the President’s cabinet on Sunday.
The impeachment motion comes barely 24 hours after the eruption of clashes within the Maldivian Parliament. Members of the government’s PPM and PNC, in a disruptive move, clashed over parliamentary proceedings and the functioning of the speaker.
The scuffle unfolded after the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) declared its decision not to vote in favour of approving Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Attorney General Ahmed Usham, Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development Dr Ali Haidar, and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed.
Videos capturing the scuffle between pro-government MPs and opposition lawmakers circulated widely on social media.
Exclusive visuals obtained by WION showed a heated altercation among lawmakers. Take a look here:
The video showcases the dramatic scenes in the Maldives Parliament, depicting opposition MPs being prevented from entering the Parliament floor just ahead of the crucial parliamentary vote for Muizzu’s Cabinet approval.
The ruling PPM-PNC coalition contends that denying parliamentary approval to Muizzu’s cabinet equates to obstructing essential services provided by the government to its citizens.
Who is Mohamed Muizzu?
Defeating the India-friendly former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who leads MDP, 45-year-old Mohamed Muizzu assumed the nation’s presidency in November.
During his winning campaign, Muizzu had cast China’s regional rival, India, and its influence as a threat to sovereignty.
Muizzu, perceived as pro-China, made headlines shortly after assuming the position by demanding the withdrawal of the Indian military stationed in the Maldives by March 15. The nation also sent a formal request to New Delhi in this regard.
(With inputs from agencies)
