In a show of political resistance, former President Mohamed Nasheed has issued a rallying cry to all citizens who oppose corruption and authoritarianism to converge in the capital, Malé City for what promises to be one of the largest protests in recent memory.

Framing the upcoming October 3 demonstration not as a party event but as a national uprising, Nasheed declared that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has destroyed the country’s constitutional framework and plundered the state.

Now back within the ranks of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) after his return on June 23, Nasheed is urging every citizen who values integrity, democracy, and the rule of law to stand together against what he portrays as a regime spiraling toward unchecked authoritarianism and institutional collapse.

MDP is intensifying preparations for the mass protest, a movement positioned not just as opposition politics, but as a citizen-led outcry against a government accused of corruption, embezzlement and abuse of power.

Banners and posters have flooded the streets of Malé City and Hulhumalé, while grassroots mobilization efforts, pickup rallies, public outreach and targeted messaging are in full swing.

Nasheed has also proposed a high-level national conference to urgently address state corruption, systematic abuse and financial misconduct, calling for collective action across political lines.

The gathering comes at a moment of growing discontent. Critics argue that the Muizzu administration is steering the country toward authoritarian rule, while public services deteriorate and the cost of living continues to climb. Opposition figures accuse the administration of looting state funds and dismantling institutional checks and balances to consolidate power.

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has added his voice to the call, urging citizens from across the islands to travel to the capital to hold Muizzu accountable for what he describes as the deliberate impoverishment of the nation.

The sentiment is echoed by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who has called on all opposition parties to unite in confronting the regime. Even Sheikh Imran Abdulla, leader of the Adhaalath Party, has expressed readiness to collaborate with other political forces to restore the nation’s democratic course.

As the October mass rally looms, the stakes are clear: this is no longer a partisan struggle, but a defining moment in the battle for the Maldives' democratic soul.