MP for North Addu Hithadhoo constituency and majority leader of the People’s Majlis, Mohamed Aslam has been elected the new Speaker of the People’s Majlis.

The election was made during the 19th sitting of the third session of parliament this year, held on Monday night.

The election of a new Majlis speaker was tabled on Monday night’s agenda solely, after the resignation of former parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed on Monday evening.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the main ruling party nominated Aslam, who is its Parliamentary Group leader for the post of speaker and Nasheed’s ‘The Democrats’ nominated their PG leader Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim.

Aslam was elected through 53 votes in favor, out of the 76 parliamentarians present.

Azim fell short with just 23 votes in his favor.

Nasheed, who is the estranged former leader of MDP, resigned from his post as parliament speaker in the face of a controversial no-confidence motion submitted against him.

The MP for Central Mahchangoalhi constituency tendered his resignation on Monday evening.

Announcing his resignation, Nasheed in his letter to the parliament, stated that a no-confidence motion has been submitted against him for a second time and accused the main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of carrying out activities that will undermine the powers of the parliament “forever”.

He added that the majority party had personally gone to the courts on the issue of the rules of parliament and undermined the powers vested in parliamentarians.

Further, Nasheed said a parliamentary committee had sought from the Attorney General to seek recommendations on the functioning of parliament.

Adding that the Supreme Court’s verdict in the case also highlighted the threats posed by this and that it is not advisable for the Supreme Court to interrupt and get involved in the internal affairs of the parliament, unless necessarily called for, Nasheed stated that this has led to the politicization of court verdicts and turn political issues into the kind of legal issue that the courts deals with.

The former speaker noted that instead of the court finding a solution, political issues must be resolved through mutual dialogue, both inside and outside of parliament.

At a time Nasheed has made these assertions, both him and his cousin, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Eva Abdulla have been hindering the proceeding of the no-confidence motion against him, from the time it was tabled.

As such, MDP mentioned these issues when it filed the petition at the Supreme Court.

Nasheed added that it was a matter of great concern that the activities of the majority party were going down this path and therefore he believed that if he continued to cling onto the position of speaker, the damage done by MDP to the parliament would go from bad to worse.

Concluding his letter, Nasheed expressed hope that parliamentarians would continue to uphold the principles of democracy and serve in the interests of the people.

Nasheed also expressed hope that his resignation would help restore peace and integrity in the democratic system.

Aslam, the newly elected speaker served in four consecutive parliaments since 2005; the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th parliament sessions.