President says he will not ratify laws infringing political rights

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih says he will not ratify laws that infringe on the rights of ‘any individual’, negating the possibility that a recent constitutional amendment to bar former presidents from parliament will see fruition.

President Solih told a press conference on Thursday that he will not be supporting any ‘amendment, or law’ that infringes on the rights of an individual or group of people. Solih was answering a question from the press.

Jumhooree Party (JP) aligned MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed submitted the amendment to Article 73 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, which defines the qualifications and criteria for contesting parliamentary seats, on Thursday.

The amendment can only pass with votes from two-thirds of the 85-seat Majlis, a total of 53 votes. Latheef, who represents the Dhidhdhoo constituency, had also submitted a bill to amend particular clauses of the statute on elections.

At Thursday’s conference, President Solih refuted JP’s claims that an inter-party agreement to divide constituencies in the upcoming People’s Majlis election among partners of the government coalition.

Solih said that the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had managed to sign agreements with each of their partners individually, but denied the existence of a binding agreement between all parties, although he expressed his wish to see lawmakers representing all parties in parliament.

President Solih also said that a bill solidifying the nature of coalitions and their functions will soon be drafted and forwarded to the Majlis, adding that disagreements between the parties had always been expected and that the parties agreed to work together despite them.

Journalists asked President Solih about the ongoing conflict between MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed and JP leader Qasim Ibrahim, although he said he does not believe there is much of an ‘issue’ between the two.

Qasim has heavily criticized Nasheed for his commitment to secure a majority for MDP in the upcoming ballots, going as far as to claim that the MDP has ‘cast aside’ JP and invited other parties to work with him in the parliamentary elections.

President Solih said that so long as an agreement dividing constituencies among the coalition does not exist, it is natural for individual parties to work towards securing a majority for them. Solih said he only wishes for the ‘government’ to have a majority.

Leaders of the government coalition are scheduled to meet next week.