The Democrats, has announced its decision to remain neutral in the upcoming presidential runoff election. This decision comes after both President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, representing the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and Dr. Mohammed Muizzu, representing the People’s National Congress (PNC)/Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), declined the conditions set by The Democrats for a potential coalition.
The pivotal proposal put forward by The Democrats was to conduct a referendum on changing the governance system to a parliamentary one before the second round of the presidential election. However, both President Solih and Dr. Muizzu expressed their preference to hold this vote after the election, diverging from The Democrats’ timeline.
The Democrats, led by Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, have been actively engaged in discussions with various political parties, including the MDP and PNC/PPM, to determine which party to support in the presidential runoff. However, the refusal to accept their referendum conditions led to The Democrats’ decision to remain impartial in the race.
This development adds a new layer of complexity to the already closely contested presidential election, as the political landscape continues to evolve in the Maldives. With neither of the leading candidates meeting the referendum timeline set by The Democrats, it remains to be seen how this decision will influence the voters’ sentiments and, ultimately, the outcome of the election. As the nation heads towards the second round of the election on September 30, political dynamics continue to shift, leaving the electorate and observers eagerly awaiting the final results.
