MDP rally already forcing change: Solih

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has declared that the objectives of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) upcoming mass rally are already being realized, even before the gathering takes place.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s ‘Fashaairu’ morning talk show, Solih pointed to a series of recent government decisions that appear to align with demands long championed by the opposition. These include the announcement of a civil service salary increase slated for November, the restoration of previously withheld bonuses for airport employees, and a promised expansion of credit card USD limits, set for implementation in February 2026.

Solih framed these developments as early victories, crediting the momentum and pressure generated by MDP’s rally slated for Friday. For the former president, these decisions are not signs of policy shifts, but rather evidence of a government reacting to growing public and political pressure.

Turning to the state of the nation’s finances, Solih sounded the alarm over what he described as reckless fiscal management. With the 2024 budget of MVR 55 billion already depleted and this year’s MVR 56 billion budget rapidly following suit, he criticized the administration for failing to deliver on its promises or complete projects already underway.

Despite the massive expenditure, Solih argued, tangible results remain elusive. Key development initiatives have stalled, and none of the major pledges made by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu are being fulfilled, he claimed.

With the rally drawing near, Solih positioned the event not as a beginning, but as the continuation of a movement already yielding results, proof, in his view, of MDP’s enduring influence and the power of public resistance.