Referendum vote is an attempt to destabilize the Constitution: Shauna

Aminath Shauna, the Minister of Environment during the previous MDP administration, has characterized the proposed referendum to synchronize presidential and parliamentary elections as an attempt to undermine the Constitution.

Shauna made these remarks while speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Noonekey" campaign program.

Shauna stated that reviewing the events leading up to the referendum scheduled for April reveals the government's lack of sincere intent. She noted that the parliament, where the government holds a supermajority, passed the resolution to hold a referendum on consolidating presidential and parliamentary elections without any independent debate. Furthermore, Shauna highlighted that the relevant bill was rushed through the committee stage, taking only five minutes to pass.

Shauna noted that there are two ways to view this situation. She suggested that the failure to adequately prepare for the referendum could either be a result of sheer incompetence or, alternatively, a deliberate attempt to sabotage the entire system of governance.

"In reality, a democratic system is structured such that major decisions of this magnitude must undergo numerous stages. Consequently, the outcome we receive will be flawed; it will inevitably be a compromised and disorganized result," Shauna said.

Shauna stated that Public Service Media (PSM) is the state broadcaster, a public institution mandated with specific legal responsibilities. She emphasized that any referendum presented to the public must be preceded by the dissemination of accurate information to ensure citizens are fully informed and not misled. She further noted that instead of providing impartial information, PSM is actively working to promote the government's viewpoint.