Shazly Shafeeq elected Secretary General of Maldivian Democratic Party

Shazly Shafeeq has been elected as Secretary General for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), with 90 out of 99 votes casted in her favor at the party's 172nd National Council on Sunday night.

Shazly was elected as MDP's Secretary General on Sunday night, following a vote held at the party's 172nd National Council, which was conducted via zoom.

Shazly received 90 out of 99 votes in her favor to be appointed Secretary General of the Party. Shazly has previously served as the Secretary General of MDP starting from August 2012, up until she stepped down from the position in November 2014. Shazly was the only person who contested for the post of Secretary General prior to her appointment on Sunday night.

Shazly was elected as Secreatry General of MDP following senior party leader Anas Abdul Sattar having resigned from the position in order to contest for the position of Mayor of Male' City in the upcoming Local Council elections. Anas Abdul Sattar's deputy, Afshan Latheef, stepped down from her position as she was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Local Government Authority in July 2020.

MDP Chairperson Hassan Latheef has previously detailed the struggles faced as the post of the party's Secretary General remained vacant with the Local Council and Women's Development Committee elections fast approaching. He added that with the party's Deputy Secretary General also contesting in the upcoming elections, MDP had faced setbacks in preparing for the elections. He went on to express hope that Shazly's appointment would ease these difficulties for MDP.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Former President and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed took part in MDP's 172nd National Council on Sunday night. The meeting saw MDP's secretariat disseminate information on the work of the party's parliamentary group. in addition to how the party was preparing for the upcoming elections.

As main-ruling party MDP continues preparations for the fast approaching Local Council and WDC elections, the party aims to set an example for following the health and safety guidelines as set forth by the Health Protection Agency to campaign and vote in elections during a state of public health emergency. MDP continues to conduct online and virtual campaigning efforts under the launching of their "Rahvehi Fathis" campaign.

While the Maldives continues to battle an increasingly devastating third wave of infections from the global Covid-19 pandemic, MDP had decided previously that the party would be continuing their operations online or through virtual means, including campaign for the Local Council and WDC elections, in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.