A no-confidence motion has been submitted against former president and current Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed.

The no-confidence motion was submitted to the People’s Majlis with the signatures of 54 lawmakers, on Wednesday.

Out of those, 50 lawmakers represent the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and four other lawmakers including MP for Thulusdhoo constituency Ibrahim Naseem, MP for Nolhivaram constituency Mohamed Nasheed, MP for Kaashidhoo constituency Abdulla Jabir and MP for Meedhoo constituency Ahmed Siyam Mohamed.

MDP gathered the signatures to pass and submit a no-confidence motion to oust their leader as Parliament Speaker, after a Parliamentary Group meeting held on Tuesday.

This came after weeks of alarm over how Nasheed was running the People’s Majlis, with the PG group also raising concern over the way Monday and Tuesday’s parliament sittings were conducted, where Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath was summoned regarding the no-confidence motion against him.

There has also been an increase in complaints of the Speaker issuing threats to lawmakers.

The no-confidence motion states that while the Speaker is supposed to administer meetings and committees in accordance with the Maldives Constitution, rules of parliament and parliamentary decisions without prejudice to any particular party, things were not proceeding that way.

Further, it also highlighted the issue of delays, as parliamentary standing committees are to be formed in the wake of changes in the parties to which the MPs belong.

In addition to these issues, the resolution also highlighted the actions taken to delay the no-confidence motion against Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath, tabled by Nasheed after the opposition alliance submitted it regarding his alleged failure to act in the best interests of Maldives over the Chagos Archipelago dispute.