Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that although large powers were included in the Constitution for the People’s Majlis to hinder then-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the resulting damage was actually felt by the MDP; therefore, when doing something, one must not think only of their own personal benefit. He said this during a rally held in Maafushi last night for the upcoming local elections campaign.
When the Constitution was reformed 18 years ago in 2008, there were concerns even then about concentrating significant powers related to government administration within the People’s Majlis. Solih, who played a leading role as a member of the Special Majlis when the Constitution was passed, recalled some memories of that period last night.
Solih said that after the chapter of the Constitution regarding the People’s Majlis, which concentrated large powers in the Majlis, was passed, he shared those concerns with a senior MDP member who was in the Majlis at the time.
"How can a leader govern? That was how I understood it then. I spoke about this with one of our senior MPs. How can a government run in the Maldives now? We are talking about a presidential system here," Solih said, recalling those memories.
"The powers have been concentrated in a bundle within the People’s Majlis."
Upon sharing these concerns with that senior MDP member of the Majlis, Solih said the member requested him not to speak about it too much. The reason was that the member foresaw Maumoon winning the first presidential election held under the new Constitution.
In that situation, the idea of MDP winning the People’s Majlis and "hindering" Maumoon through the Majlis was what was circulating in their minds.
"The way we see it, President Maumoon will still come to power in the Maldives in 2008. we do not see a way for President Maumoon to be defeated. But we (MDP) will take the People’s Majlis. Therefore, shouldn't the powers be there?" Solih quoted that senior member.
However, Solih noted that in the 2008 presidential election, things concluded completely opposite to that member’s thinking. While the government went to the MDP, the power of the People’s Majlis remained in President Maumoon’s hands.
After MDP’s presidential candidate President Mohamed Nasheed took office in 2008, what was seen next was a situation where the opposition held the Majlis and, due to the large powers residing in the Majlis, he struggled to govern.
"That is why when doing something, doing it only in a way that is beneficial to oneself at that moment might lead to a setback," Solih said.
Following that, he stated that while this government is working to hold the presidential election and the parliamentary election on the same day, a "major setback" from this might perhaps be felt by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu as well in the 2028 presidential election.
Solih said that in 2013, President Abdulla Yameen came to power and won the 2014 People’s Majlis with 68 percent. After that, in 2018, MDP came to power and won the People’s Majlis the following year in 2019 with 75 percent. Finally, President Muizzu came to power in 2023 and won the 2024 Majlis election with 85 percent, higher than everyone else.
Referencing those figures, Solih said that when two elections are held on the same day, those in power will take the People’s Majlis by an even higher margin. The result of this, Solih believes, will be that holding the government accountable will be "closed off."
