Presidential address to be delivered on Monday
This year's parliament session is expected to be intense in the political sphere
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih delivers third presidential address
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is scheduled to deliver his fifth Presidential Address on Monday morning.
The president is scheduled to deliver his last presidential address before this year’s Presidential Election, at the parliament at 9am, at the People’s Majlis’ first sitting of the year.
All parliamentarians have been notified as well
The sitting will be inaugurated by Speaker of Parliament and Former President Mohamed Nasheed after which the presidential address will be delivered.
According to Article 84 of the Maldives constitution, “at the beginning of the first session of each year at the first sitting, the President shall address the People’s Majlis on the state of the country, and may present proposals for improving the state of the country to the People’s Majlis.”
It will be the incumbent president’s fifth presidential address.
The presidential address is the only item on the agenda for Monday’s sitting, with the parliament proceedings to begin in the upcoming sittings.
At the end of last year’s People’s Majlis session, differences within the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had begun to surface.
As such, there was a major rift between lawmakers supporting President Solih and those supporting Speaker Nasheed over government-proposed bills, especially the bill that proposed tax hikes.
Prior to the inauguration of this year’s parliament session, the main ruling party held its primary election for this year’s presidential poll, which was won easily by President Solih, who will be running for the elections in September as MDP’s candidate.
With this, this year's parliament session is expected to be intense in the political sphere.
The government of Maldives declares the date scheduled for the first sitting of the People’s Majlis for the year, a public holiday, every year.
As such, 6 February 2023 has also been declared a government holiday.
The incumbent president delivered his first-ever presidential address at a special ceremony held in Dharubaaruge on 7 February 2019. This second address was delivered on 3 February 2020, followed by his third address on 4 February 2021.
On 3 February 2022, President Solih briefed the parliament on the current situation in the Maldives, including victories as well as challenges, and the president’s plan for the future during his fourth Presidential Address.
