Maamigili MP Qasim Ibrahim has been elected as the parliament speaker on Thursday night, following Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed's resignation from the post.

Qasim, the leader of opposition Jumhooree Party, received 62 votes in his favor.

Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem, the deputy leader of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), who contested against Qasim received only 16 votes.

80 MPs took part in the vote, and two were invalid.

The new speaker was elected after speaker Abdulla Maseeh handed over his resignation earlier on Thursday after the parliament decided to move forwards with the opposition coalition's impeachment motion against him.

The coalition earlier announced that it would back Qasim as the new speaker after removing Maseeh.