Constitutional amendments designed to sustain the rule of a single individual do not constitute reform: Shahid
MDP President Abdulla Shahid has strongly condemned the parliament's passing of a government-proposed constitutional amendment to hold presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously. Describing the move as a "coup" intended to consolidate power and establish an authoritarian regime, Shahid called for public protests against the perceived seizure of the people's sovereign rights. He further asserted that the amendment undermines democratic principles by restricting the public's ability to hold the government accountable.
MDP President Abdulla Shahid. | President's Office | President's Office
MDP President Abdulla Shahid has stated that tailoring the Constitution to sustain the rule of a single individual does not constitute reform.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Shahid stated that President Muizzu’s attempts to dismantle the Constitution under a legal guise represent the first step toward consolidating power and indefinitely extending his presidential term.
Shahid made these remarks following the passage of a bill in Parliament on Tuesday, proposed by President Muizzu’s ruling People's National Congress (PNC), to hold presidential and parliamentary elections concurrently. The bill was passed with 72 votes in the PNC-led legislature, where the party holds a supermajority.
When the bill was passed during Tuesday's sitting, it was noted that the committee stage deliberations were concluded in just five minutes.
Regarding the expedited passage of constitutional amendments, Shahid stated that this move marks the beginning of a prolonged era of autocratic, oppressive, and fearful governance.
Shahid asserted that President Muizzu is profoundly terrified of the people and the ballot box, going on to note that holding two separate elections provides the public with two distinct opportunities to hold the government accountable.
Shahid characterized the move as a coup rather than a reform, asserting that stripping power from the people, narrowing the path for democratic transitions of power through the ballot box, and reshaping the Constitution to sustain a single individual's rule is unacceptable.
Shahid stated that it is a mistake to believe one can remain in power indefinitely by dismantling the Constitution and the law. He further asserted that the Maldivian people will rise against such actions, emphasizing that this country belongs to its citizens.
"The Maldivian people will come out and protest against this," Shahid said.
Opposition lawmakers strongly criticized the government-sponsored bill to synchronize the two elections during both the debate stage and the sitting held for its passage. The bill was introduced by Ibrahim Falah, the Member of Parliament for the Inguraidhoo constituency. During Tuesday's sitting, as protests against the bill intensified, Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla, a member of the ruling PNC, named several opposition MDP members and ordered their removal from the floor.
Following the passage of this bill by the People’s Majlis, reports have emerged that the Elections Commission is preparing to hold a constitutional referendum alongside the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee elections scheduled for April 4.
According to the bill, future parliamentary elections will be held concurrently with the presidential election conducted under Article 110 of the Constitution. The bill further stipulates that the parliamentary term shall span five years beginning on December 1st, and the Parliament shall be dissolved upon the expiration of this period.
