A no-confidence motion filed by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) against Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has been voided after most MPs withdrew their signatures.
The MDP announced its decision to withdraw the motion last night but it remained on the agenda for Monday's sitting of parliament with the minimum 22 signatures required for seeking impeachment.
At the start of today's sitting, 25 MDP MPs withdrew their support for the motion to impeach Nasheed. More MPs followed suit shortly thereafter.
Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef, who was presiding over the sitting, announced that the motion could not be continued as there were only 21 signatures left.
The MDP decided to withdraw no-confidence motions against Nasheed and Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla after Saturday's presidential election. Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu emerged as the frontrunner with 46 percent of the vote.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as the MDP candidate got 38 percent. MP Ilyas Labeeb, the candidate of Nasheed's party The Democrats, came third with seven percent. The turnout was 79 percent.
