Nasheed rejoins MDP two years after leaving party

Jun 23, 2025, 5:34 PM
Former President Mohamed Nasheed (m) with MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail (l) and MDP President Abdulla Shahid (r). -- Photo: Mohamed Shahzan/ Adhadhu

Former President Mohamed Nasheed (m) with MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail (l) and MDP President Abdulla Shahid (r). -- Photo: Mohamed Shahzan/ Adhadhu

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has joined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which he left two years earlier.

He joined MDP during a rally held at the Sultan Park on Monday night. He left the MDP on June 21, 2023, amid a split within the former ruling party.

Nasheed signed up for the Democrats on July 13, 2023, but took a break from politics and resided in Ghana.

But on June 17, the Democrats held a national assembly meeting in Male', where it was decided to join the MDP.

The following night, an informal meeting of the MDP national assembly was held and members wanted to give Nasheed and the Democrats a warm welcome.

Former Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla and other leading figures in the Democrats have also rejoined the MDP with Nasheed.

Nasheed was among those who petitioned the government in 2003 to form the MDP. He secured the party's first presidential ticket and became President in 2008.

He also ran for parliament with the MDP ticket and was the Speaker of the 19th session of the People's Majlis.

His decision to rejoin the MDP comes amid heightened competition for the 2028 presidential ticket in the main opposition party.

Comments

Read More

Latest News

Ban reversed because of difficulties in using paper straws: Govt

The Maldives government has reversed its ban on single-use plastic straws, delaying the prohibition until 2031. Officials cited the poor quality of paper alternatives, which often dissolve or contain harmful microplastics. This decision pushes back the original 2023 timeline for phasing out several types of single-use plastics.

Political directors appointed to island designated as uninhabited

President Muizzu has appointed two political directors to the Youth Ministry to work on Hirimaradhoo, an island recently declared uninhabited. Despite the island's council being dissolved and residents being relocated to Hanimaadhoo, the appointees will receive MVR 20,000 monthly salaries to serve their home island.

Egyptian man arrested at VIA after making false bomb threat joke

Egyptian national Peter Saman Marzouk Saman was arrested at Velana International Airport after jokingly claiming his sister’s luggage contained a bomb. Despite his apology and claim that it was a prank, a court ordered him remanded for five days. Authorities emphasized that false threats are strictly prohibited and carry serious consequences.

Thinadhoo Mayor and Councillors face charges over land allocation

The ACC has requested corruption charges against Thinadhoo’s Mayor and three councillors for illegally leasing four land plots to a private firm without a public bid. The officials are accused of bypassing regulations to provide an undue advantage to the business. Mayor Saud Ali also faces separate charges for falsifying population data.

ACC seeks corruption charges against ex-MPL Chief

The ACC has requested corruption charges against former MPL CEO Mohamed Junaid and ex-procurement head Abdul Wahhab. The pair is accused of bypassing tender rules to buy overpriced air conditioners from a linked business, costing over MVR 1 million. They face charges for abusing their positions to gain undue advantages.

ex-President's Office employee alleges minister threatened her

A former President's Office employee alleges a cabinet minister threatened them to prevent leaks before the "Aisha" documentary's release. The individual also claims First Lady Sajidha Mohamed is harassing their family and blacklisting them from jobs. Authorities have since seized the former staffer's passport amid a criminal probe.

Muizzu reverses narrative on prison conditions of ex-President

President Mohamed Muizzu has reversed his 2018 stance on the prison conditions of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. While he previously praised the high quality of the facilities, he now claims the detainees were held in small cells and in poor condition. This shift contradicts his earlier reports as Abdulla Yameen's special envoy.

Newsletter

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox