The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that it will do "everything possible" to ensure that former President Mohamed Nasheed cannot contest in the 2018 presidential elections.

The ruling party's deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla made the comment at a press conference on Wednesday, hours after reports that the former President remains confident that he will be able to participate in the elections.

At the press conference, Abdul Raheem noted that PPM is the ruling party and that it "will do everything possible to ensure that Nasheed cannot contest in the presidential elections".

He added that PPM does not want to bring changes to the Constitution to allow Nasheed to contest in the elections.

Abdul Raheem also denied claims that the reason they were against Nasheed participating in the election was because they were fearful that President Abdulla Yameen will lose. Rather, he said the reason was because Nasheed had "conducted unlawful activities during his tenure".

He also denied that the government has face any pressure from the international community, to allow Nasheed to contest.

Also speaking at the press conference, Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer said that PPM's council had held discussions on the matter, adding that all members were against it. The party's parliamentary group leader Ahmed Nihan noted that Nasheed had been found guilty of a criminal act. Noting that laws bar candidacy of those jailed for more than a year for a criminal offence, Nihan said that Nasheed is "trying to make a fool out of people," but that it will not work.

In addition, PPM's spokesperson Ali Arif claimed that European nations were not pressuring the government to allow Nasheed to run in the presidential elections, but "to spread anti-Islamic agendas".