Monday
23rd Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Members of the ruling Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) have initiated a petition calling for President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to convert the Maldivian system of government to a parliamentary system.
Signing commenced on Saturday at the Barbary Hotaa. The petition is headed by MP Ibrahim "Bonde" Rasheed. Speaking at the ceremony to introduce the petition, MP Rasheed said that the MDP's 2018 manifesto had pledged to implement a parliamentary system, and the petition is intended to pressure the President to make good on the pledge.
MP Rasheed added that MDP has always supported letting the people run the people's leadership. He claimed that the presidential system distances the public, with laws passed by parliament left unimplemented for two or three years, he said.
While approximately 15 people signed the petition at the event on Saturday, MP Rasheed claimed that arrangements are underway to facilitate the signing of the petition in the islands.
It is noteworthy that Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has repeatedly called for the current governing system to be changed to a parliamentary system.