Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has stated the constitution should be amended in order to establish a parliamentary system of governance in the Maldives next year. The speaker made the statement while speaking on the Ask Speaker programme, which is held annually to answer Parliament-related questions from the public.
Speaking on the programme, Nasheed said he will be the candidate of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) if a presidential election is to be held in 2023. However, he expressed the belief that there would be no presidential election next year since he is working towards establishing a parliamentary system in the Maldives. He said the presidential system is not suitable for the Maldives and that the constitution should be amended this year to establish a parliamentary system.
Furthermore, Nasheed warned against holding a presidential election and said he is confident the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) will support the efforts to establish a parliamentary system. He said a constitutional amendment to establish a parliamentary system can succeed with votes from both MDP and PPM parliamentarians. He also said that parliamentarians will vote to elect a prime minister once a parliamentary system is established and that he will submit his candidacy for the position.
Speaker Nasheed has previously expressed his wish to establish a parliamentary system and become prime minister. However, the President's Office stated the current priorities of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih are to work towards economic recovery and fulfill his pledges, and that the current system of governance established in the Maldives can only be changed by a public referendum.