The opposition leader and jailed former President Abdulla Yameen has declined a meeting requested by Parliament Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed.
Nasheed requested permission to meet Yameen through the Parliament Secretariat. Parliament sent a letter to the Home Ministry seeking permission to meet the jailed former President.
Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) told Adhadhu on Sunday that the Parliament had been informed after Yameen declined the request.
Nasheed has been advocating for a parliamentary system of government and his party has been pushing for the cause ahead of the second round of voting on September 30.
The opposition's presidential candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu from the People's National Congress (PNC) endorsed by the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) won the most votes in the first round of the election but failed to secure more than 50 percent needed to come to power.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih came in second while the Democrats' candidate MP Ilyas Labeeb came third with seven percent of the votes. The party has been in talks with both sides ahead of the run-off round.
Democrats' interim chairperson MP Hassan Latheef told reporters on Friday night that the talks with PPM-PNC have stalled as they refuse to proceed with a signed agreement for a coalition.
"So it is very difficult for us to work with PPM without signing any agreements. Democrats is a political party and the terms agreed between parties must be visible in a document," he said.
He said the Democrats proposed both PPM and MDP on taking a referendum on the system of government.
“We are proposing to hold a referendum on the system of government on September 25 before the second round,” Hassan said.
He said the MDP has not rejected the proposal and discussions are ongoing. However, he said the Democrats would not prolong the negotiation.
