Solih welcomes Democrats, urges everyone to set aside personal differences and work together

Former Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Thursday welcomed the decision by former president Mohamed Nasheed and other Democrats to return to the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), urging everyone to set aside personal differences and work together for the common good of the nation.

Nasheed, one of the founding members of the MDP, had backed a successful campaign to hoist Solih to power in 2018, after he was ruled out of contention due to a conviction that was later overturned.

But tensions flared between Nasheed and Solih as it drew closer to the 2023 presidential election, especially after the former lost the MDP presidential ticket to the latter in January that year.

The rivalry between them created a rift within the MDP, culminating into Nasheed and those loyal to him leaving the party in June 2023, to form a new party, the Democrats.

Following the formation, Nasheed famously declared that he would “dismantle” the MDP, a party that he helped found and led for over a decade.

But on Tuesday, Democrats passed a resolution agreeing that all members will rejoin the MDP, citing that they believe “a strong opposition is the best way to win the local council election, improve Maldives’ future, uphold an accountable state, and restore the waning faith in a competitive multi-party system.”

During an informal meeting of the national council on Wednesday night, the MDP decided to welcome the Democrats’ decision to rejoin the party.

In a post on X on Thursday morning, Solih said he welcomes the decision by Democrats to join the MDP.

He said that the MDP must “always strive to uphold Islamic principles, uphold the principles of democracy, and prioritize the interests of the people.”

He also shared a verse from a poem, which calls for people to bravely face and overcome challenges, and prioritize national interests and “cut a new path.”

Solih also shared part of an interview he gave to RajjeTV following his defeat in the 2023 election.

“This is everyone’s party. This is a party that we all established together. We should work together. Let’s set aside the personal differences of the past, whether it may be differences against me personally, and work [together] for the good of the nation. There’s still work to be done in the efforts we, the MDP initiated back then,” he says in the interview.

ދަ ޑިމޮކްރެޓްސްގެ މެމްބަރުން @MDPSecretariat އާ ގުޅިވަޑައިގަތުމަށް ނިންމެވި ނިންމެވުމަށް މަރުޙަބާ ދަންނަވަން. އިސްލާމް ދީނުގެ ޞައްޙަ ޢަޤީދާގެ މަތީގައި ދެމިތިބެ، ޑިމޮކްރަސީގެ ހަމަތައް ނަގަހައްޓާ، ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޞްލަޙަތު އަބަދުވެސް އިސްކުރާ ބަޔަކަށް އަޅުގަނޑުމެން ވަމާ ހިގާށެވެ.… pic.twitter.com/KWPeFBiyza

— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) June 19, 2025

Solih joins other MDP leaders, including party president Abdulla Shahid and chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, in welcoming Nasheed and other Democrats back to the MDP.

This rift within the MDP following the exit of Nasheed and those loyal to him is widely believed to be one of the main reasons for MDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election.

In December 2023, Nasheed announced he was taking “a respite from active politics” to assume a new post in Ghana as the secretary general of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).

But in January this year, Nasheed said that he hasn’t completely moved away from politics despite his new role, and in April, he urged the MDP and Democrats to work together, saying that he believes that to be in the best interest of the country, as well as the two parties.

Nasheed’s decision to rejoin the MDP came a day after he met with MDP chairperson Fayyaz.

It also comes with the Maldives set to hold two key elections; the local council election in 2026, and the presidential election in 2028 – the latter of which Nasheed has said he is considering contesting.

The decision by Nasheed to rejoin the MDP also increases the rivalry within the party for its presidential ticket. Fayyaz has already announced he plans to contest in the party’s presidential primary, while sources confirm that both Solih and the party’s president Shahid are also campaigning for the ticket.