MDP President Shahid Proposes Hisaan Hussein as VP, Bypassing Election Process

In a surprising move on July 8, 2024, Abdullah Shahid, the President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and former Foreign Minister of the Maldives, announced on Twitter his decision to appoint Hisaan Hussein, a former parliamentarian, as the Vice President of MDP. This marks an unprecedented shift in the party's approach to leadership appointments, as the Vice President position has traditionally been an elected role.

Hisaan Hussein, known for her political background and as the wife of MP Nazil, the leader of MDP’s parliamentary group, has now been thrust into the spotlight. “I have decided to propose Hisaan Hussein’s name as the party’s VP and will ask the national council whether they accept this decision,” Shahid tweeted. Notably, he failed to provide any rationale for bypassing the democratic election process.

This authoritarian maneuver raises questions about the internal dynamics of MDP, currently the opposition party in the Maldives with a mere 12 seats in parliament. The party has been struggling to recover from devastating losses in both the 2023 presidential elections and the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Shahid’s proposal comes at a time when the MDP is embroiled in internal power struggles. He and the party chairperson, Fayyaz Ismail, are locked in a battle for dominance, each aiming to secure the party’s presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.

Critics argue that this move to appoint a Vice President rather than elect one is a desperate attempt by Shahid to consolidate power within the party. The coming months will be crucial as the national council decides whether to endorse this top-down decision, which could set a dangerous precedent for the future of democratic processes within the MDP.