Only 24 MPs are in attendance at the opening sitting of the People's Majlis where President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu delivered his first presidential address.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Democrats decided to boycott the sitting due to the "undemocratic ways of the government."
A total of 56 MPs boycotted Monday's opening sitting of the People's Majlis. They are 13 MPs from the Democrats and 44 MPs from the MDP.
Only 24 MPs were in attendance when the sitting began at 9:00 am. However, the sitting was chaired by MDP MP Speaker Mohamed Aslam.
He chaired the sitting despite calls by government MPs to recuse from presiding as a no-confidence motion has been moved against him.
The government MPs have further moved a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem who is also an MDP MP.
