Major amendments to MDP basic regulation, including abolition of party's president and vice president positions
3 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ހޮނިހިރު 16:36The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has proposed amendments to its charter to abolish the positions of President and Vice President, designating the Chairperson as the party's highest authority. The proposed restructuring includes the appointment of three Deputy Chairpersons and a revision of National Council representation, where the number of members representing each constituency will be determined based on the party's membership population in those areas.
A session of the MDP Congress. | MDP Secretariat
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has proposed significant amendments to its basic regulation aimed at strengthening the party's administrative framework and reinforcing its core principles as a political entity.
Proposing these amendments, the party’s former Chairperson and former Economic Minister, Fayyaz Ismail, stated that these changes are currently vital for the party. He further noted that the amendments aim to transform the party’s internal governance into a more transparent system and enhance member participation.
Among the proposed amendments is the abolition of the positions of party president and vice president. It has been proposed to replace these roles by designating the chairperson as the party's highest-ranking official. The current regulations state that when the party is in power, the President of the country serves as the party's top leader. However, the proposed amendment stipulates that the chairperson will remain the highest authority within the party, regardless of whether it is in government or in opposition.
Furthermore, a proposal has been submitted to increase the number of vice-chairpersons to three, with a specific requirement that at least one of these positions be held by a woman. Currently, the organization has two vice-chairpersons: one overseeing administrative affairs and the other responsible for financial matters. The new proposal seeks to introduce a third vice-chairperson dedicated to political affairs.
Key amendments proposed to the MDP’s constitution include a provision stating that the number of representatives for each constituency in the party’s National Council will be determined based on the total membership count within that specific area.
Under these provisions, excluding cities and islands comprising multiple constituencies, any island with at least 100 party members will be entitled to one representative on the National Council. Islands with more than 500 members will be allocated an additional seat, while those reaching 1,000 members will be represented by three members on the council.
Furthermore, in cities and islands comprising more than one constituency, the proposal includes a provision for representation in the National Council based on membership numbers. Specifically, if an island has 100 party members, it will be entitled to two seats in the National Council. This representation increases to three members if the membership exceeds 500, and reaches four members once the threshold of 1,000 members is met.
