Parliament approves decision to rejoin Commonwealth
62 MPs voted in favor of the country rejoining Commonwealth, there were no abstentions or votes against
People\'s Majlis
The People’s Majlis has on Wednesday endorsed President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's decision to rejoin the Commonwealth.
At the vote taken at Wednesday’s parliament sitting, 62 MPs had voted in favor of the country rejoining the organization.
While President Solih’s cabinet of ministers approved the decision on November 19, Parliament’s Committee on National Security approved the motion on Tuesday.
Speaking at Wednesday’s parliament sitting, MPs highlighted that various losses to the country due to the decision to leave Commonwealth.
The country left the Commonwealth during former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration in October 2016, amid mounting pressure from the group over corruption and deteriorating human rights.
It accused the Commonwealth of interfering in domestic affairs and “unfair and unjust” treatment.
While President Yameen’s administration decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth, this decision was endorsed by the parliament with 39 lawmakers voting in favor and 19 against.
The move came after a warning by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, to suspend the Maldives ‘if the political crisis triggered by the jailing of opposition leaders is not resolved’.
The decision to end Maldives' 34-year membership with Commonwealth was widely criticized by both the local and international community.
Rejoining the Commonwealth is included in President Solih’s ambitious 100-day agenda.
