The Opposition leader former President Abdulla Yameen has expressed his views on the possibility of a parliamentary system in the Maldives.
In an interview with local new outlet “Adhadhu”, the former President revealed that he has always preferred a parliamentary system as it would allow the people to elect direct representatives to the government.
However, he stated that though he supports the parliamentary system, he does not believe that it is the most suitable governing system for the Maldives at this time. “No matter how much I support the theory of parliamentary system, in view of the current situation in the Maldives, I cannot support the notion of adopting the parliamentary system in the Maldives” said former President Abdulla Yameen.
Expounding his views, the former President stated that he has two key issues of concern in supporting parliamentary system in the Maldives.
He further elaborated that one of the issues was the absence of a law banning floor crossing in the parliament. He stated that representatives of the people who are elected to the parliament through political parties often cross the floor in the Maldives, after winning their seat by selling the ideologies and policies of a political party and he believes that if a parliamentarian in such a situation were to cross the floor, then they should be required to re-contest and win their seat again in the parliament.
The second issue the former President raised was the corruption and bribery in the current system. “It would be very easy for some rich individuals or especially foreigners to topple the government” said the former President who is lauded for his direct responses.
He further stated that under normal circumstances it would be very unlikely for a single party to achieve majority within the parliament and the current MDP majority within the parliament was a product of circumstances as his party PPM lost a vast number of seats while attempting to work with ruling coalition member JP during the last parliamentary election.
Former President and current speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has in recent months pushed forward the notion of adopting the parliamentary system before the next Presidential Election. Speaker Mohamed Nasheed whose faction which recently lost the ruling party’s chairperson election, has openly expressed interest in contesting for the 2023 Presidential Election.