Sunday’s sitting of the People’s Majlis was hindered after pro-government parliamentarians began protesting inside the chambers.

The People’s Majlis had placed the vote on approving the 22 new cabinet ministers on the agenda for Sunday, at 01:30pm.

However, parliamentarians representing the ruling coalition comprising People’s National Congress (PNC) and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), began protesting inside the chambers and also gathered outside the parliament building to protest.

Due to lack of time and as the environment at the time was not suitable to continue with the sitting, the lawmakers were told that they would be informed of a time the sitting would resume.

The government sought parliamentary approval for the 22-member cabinet on 19 December 2023.

The approval of ministers was placed on the agenda for Sunday’s extraordinary sitting and lawmakers debated on it.

The parliamentary group of the former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) which currently holds a majority at the parliament house had decided to withhold support for three ministers and the attorney general.

This was done during an MDP PG meeting convened on Sunday.

MDP PG issued a three-line red whip to withhold support to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed and Attorney General Ahmed Usham.

37 lawmakers attended Sunday’s extraordinary parliament sitting.

The decision was approved with the votes of 21 lawmakers.

MDP PG had approved to issue a free whip, allowing members to vote as they wish on the approval of the remaining ministers.