Maldivian opposition groups assert that they have gathered sufficient signatures to impeach Mohamed Muizzu; the administration files a court case, claiming that a crucial modification is unlawful.
With reference to the recent modification to parliament’s standing rules that permits opposition legislators to begin impeachment proceedings against the president, the attorney general’s office in the Maldives has filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has not yet acknowledged the case registration, but Attorney General Ahmed Usham confirmed it on Sunday in a statement to the local news source Sun Online.
Seven MPs left Parliament in November to assume important roles in President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. The elections commission chose not to hold by-elections in spite of this, citing the 2024 parliamentary elections as justification.
With a majority in Parliament, the main opposition MDP took advantage of the situation and changed the standing orders. The amendment makes sure that when calculating the overall number of Members of Parliament, vacant seats are not taken into account. Consequently, the total number of MPs is now 80, down from 87. With this modification, 58 instead of 54 votes are needed to impeach President Mohamed Muizzu.
Do problems exist for President Muizzu?
Following a 54% vote margin, Mohamed Muizzu emerged victorious as the Maldives’ next president. But because the ruling coalition does not control a majority of the parliament, Muizzu is in real danger of being removed. It takes a two-thirds majority of the 80 members of the House to approve an impeachment resolution.
The Democrats (DEM) have 13 members and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) 45 seats in the 80-member parliament. Two members of the Progressive Party of the Maldives and thirteen members of the People’s National Congress make up the PPM-PNC ruling alliance. The Jumhooree Party and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) both have two independents, and there are three
The opposition Democrats and the MDP said last week that they will work together to “hold the government accountable” in Parliament.
They control 56 MPs in total, 43 of whom are MDP members and 13 of whom are Democrats. This gives them the power to start the impeachment process against President Muizzu should they so want.
Comments 2