People's Majlis accepts no-confidence motion against Eva

The People’s Majlis has accepted a no-confidence motion submitted against Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis and MP for North Galolhu constituency Eva Abdulla.

In a Twitter post on Tuesday, the People’s Majlis revealed that the no-confidence motion submitted against the deputy speaker on Tuesday, has been accepted and can proceed under the Maldives Constitution as well as the rules of parliament.

The no-confidence motion against Eva was submitted to the parliament with the signatures of 50 lawmakers.

The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s Parliamentary Group approved the submission of the no-confidence motion to the parliament on May 18. The motion, seeking a vote of no-confidence against Eva was unanimously passed by members of the MDP PG.

Through the consensus of MDP’s supermajority, Eva was appointed Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis. She however resigned from the party on May 17, along with several other parliamentarians. MDP’s PG moved to dismiss her from the post following this.

According to the law, a no-confidence motion against the speaker or deputy speaker of parliament can be submitted with the signatures of one-fourth of parliaments, which is 22 members out of 87.

Should such a motion be approved by two-thirds of the parliamentarians, which is 43 out of 87, a person serving as the speaker or deputy speaker can be dismissed.

During a press conference after leaving the party, Eva stressed that she left MDP as it is currently not adhering to the good values it was initially based upon. Eva asserted that she didn’t stay with MDP out of the desire to defend her post, however, she refused to resign voluntarily.

During the presser, loyalists of the former president and current Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, revealed the decision to form a new political party under their faction 'Fikurehge Dhirun'. Nasheed loyalists have since sought approval from the Elections Commission of Maldives to form their new party, 'The Democrats'.

An application to form ‘The Democrats’ was filed with the Elections Commission under West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef’s name, seeking permission to form the party.

The new political party, spearheaded by Nasheed will be producing a candidate for this year’s presidential election, slated for September. The party will be holding discussions with other political parties they can possibly collaborate with, for the presidential polls.

Nasheed himself, has not yet defected from the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Nasheed continues to hold on to his post as MDP’s president.

Since President Solih won MDP’s primary election in January this year, there has been a massive rift within the party, with it being divided into two factions; one supporting the incumbent president and one backing the former president and current speaker.

President Solih is running for this year’s presidential election as the candidate of the main-ruling party.