MDP: PNC attempting to steal presidential election under pretext of public consultation

Main opposition MDP lawmakers, on Tuesday, accused ruling PNC of attempting to “steal” the 2028’s presidential election under the pretext of seeking public opinion regarding merging the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting had the debate on the report passed by the Independent Institutions Committee recommending the passage of the government-backed constitutional amendment aimed at merging the presidential and parliamentary elections.

While debating on the report, MDP’s South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem questioned the underlying motives behind the PNC lawmakers’ rush to amend the constitution when the Parliament was in recess, questioning the reasons for such urgency.

Meekail insisted that the PNC’s parliamentary group and leadership owe the public a clear explanation.

“The attempt to consult the public is merely a deceptive maneuver to steal the 2028 election without the people's knowledge,” he added.

Referring to a five-minute meeting held by Committee on Monday to approve the amendment, Meekail, who also sits on the committee, said the constitution was being “undermined” in a matter of minutes.

“The PNC's supermajority is an insult to the constitution and an insult to the Maldivian people. Honorable Speaker, have the representatives of this Parliament gone deaf or mute while the entire system of the Maldives is being dismantled, and the established framework of accountability is being destroyed?” he questioned.

MDP’s South Hulhumale’ MP Ahmed Shamheed, who participated in the debate, claimed that the government’s push to merge the elections is part of a “sinister plot” and represents a significant deception by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Shamheed argued that the true objective of the amendment is to shorten the five-year term of lawmakers while extending the President's term.

“This amendment completely eradicates the electoral principles and standards enshrined in the constitution. It is a highly deceitful amendment. The Maldivian people must overwhelmingly reject this; they must say no to the President and no to the PNC lawmakers of the 20^th parliamentary assembly,” Shamheed emphasized.

Both members heavily criticized the PNC lawmakers, describing them as individuals who are “stupid”.

The government-backed amendments to the constitution sponsored by ruling PNC’s parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah, seeking to merge the two elections, were submitted to the Parliament in January.

Falah, in his bill, proposed to combine the presidential and parliamentary elections, and for this purpose, change the inauguration of the new parliamentary assembly to December 1^st.

This change will shorten the five-year term of the current parliamentary assembly, sworn in on May 28, 2024, by around six months.

The first combined poll would take place in 2028.

The bill, which was passed as is in a brief five-minute meeting on Monday with a majority vote of the Independent Institutions Committee, was put to a floor vote on Tuesday morning.

It was passed with the votes of 72 out of 73 lawmakers in attendance.