Leader of Jumhooree Party (JP) Qasim Ibrahim has stated the party will remain with the government until the end of the current presidential term, as stipulated in the coalition agreement.
Speaking at a press conference held on September 13, Qasim said JP still values and believes in the coalition agreement established prior to the 2018 presidential election. Qasim said the party plans to remain as a partner of the coalition government until the end of the current presidential term, as previously agreed upon. He added his party will cooperate with the government to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked if JP plans to contest separately in the 2023 presidential election, Qasim said it is too early to make a decision on contesting in the presidential election. He said any decision on backing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for a second term in office or to contest separately will be made by the party’s council.
During the press conference, Qasim expressed his discontent over the criticism directed to the party by former JP members Mohamed Nazim and Abdulla Riyaz, who have recently formed a new political party. Noting both Nazim and Riyaz were elected to the parliament as JP members, Qasim said the two parliamentarians seemed to have forgotten the work done by the party and himself to elect them.
JP is one of the coalition partners of the current government, along with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM). As a coalition partner, the party retained some slots in the cabinet upon the election of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in 2018.