President Muizzu faces a high likelihood of impeachment if he fails to secure a parliamentary majority, even if a referendum to hold concurrent elections is successful: Suood

Former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood has stated that even if President Muizzu were to win a referendum and secure victory in two consecutive elections, he could still face the risk of losing his parliamentary majority. In such a scenario, Suood warned that the impeachment of the President remains a highly likely possibility.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Noonekey" program on Tuesday night, Suood stated that there is a compelling reason for President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to opt for a "No" vote in the referendum. Suood explained that even if the presidential and parliamentary elections were held on the same day and the President secured a majority, there remains a significant possibility that the Parliament could fall under opposition control.

Suood stated that under those circumstances, the removal of President Muizzu from office is a possibility. He further noted that this is a matter the President himself must take into consideration.

By implementing this reform to hold both elections on the same day, it is highly plausible that while a president is elected with a majority, the parliament could swing in the opposite direction. This is a scenario the President must carefully consider; if this occurs, he may find it impossible to remain in office just two days later, as the risk of impeachment would be significantly high. It is unrealistic to expect both elections to yield the same result. While President Muizzu might secure a victory in the presidential race, there is a strong possibility of his party ending up in the minority in Parliament. Should that happen, he will find himself in a very difficult and precarious position.

Former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood

Suood further stated that no Maldivian citizen today believes the People's Majlis holds any real power. He added that it could even be said that the office of the Speaker of the Parliament is effectively non-existent today.

Furthermore, Suood stated that the entire operation of the Parliament is currently being coordinated from within the President’s Office, adding that the separation of powers has now become blurred.

I do not believe there is a single citizen who would claim that Parliament is not operating under the President's thumb.

Former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood

Suood stated that if there is a genuine intention to reform matters related to the People's Majlis, there are numerous actions that can be taken immediately. Consequently, he noted that the current discourse regarding the separation of powers remains inconsistent and lacks coherence.

Suood stated that the presidential decree issued to hold a referendum lacked sufficient justification and contained inconsistent arguments. He further noted that the circumstances surrounding the matter suggest the government is not acting in good faith.