The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) parliamentary group has agreed to submit an impeachment motion against President Mohamed Muizzu in light of the recent diplomatic tussle with ally nations such as India.
MDP, in partnership with another opposition party, The Democrats, has managed to gather enough signatures to initiate the impeachment motion. Videos accessed by WION showed the chaos inside the parliament as the ruling disposition attempted to thwart the no-confidence motion.
One of the MDP leaders, talking to WION from inside the parliament said the motion was brought as the current government had jeopardised the relations with India.
Notably, former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s MDP is in control of the parliament and the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)-President Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) does not have a parliamentary majority.
The parliament’s regulations were revised last year which grants MDP the power to impeach Muizzu without requiring support from minority parties. Following the amendment’s parliamentary approval, an impeachment requires 54 votes while the current parliament session consists of 56 MDP members.
Additionally, the new amendment has reduced the number of members required on the impeachment committee to seven, while the inclusion of all the parties represented at the parliament is not required to be selected for the committee.
Ruckus inside the Maldivian parliament
The impeachment proceedings come barely 24 hours after videos of clashes inside the Maldivian Parliament between pro-government MPs and opposition lawmakers went viral on social media.
The scuffle broke out after MDP said it had decided not to vote to approve Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Attorney General Ahmed Usham, Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development Dr Ali Haidarand Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed.
The ruling PPM-PNC has argued that denying the parliamentary approval to Muizzu’s cabinet amounts to obstructing the services the government provides to its citizens.
(With inputs from agencies)
