MDP revises charter, to set up consultative council

Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Wednesday amended its charter to establish a National Consultative Assembly.

This new body will provide counsel to the leadership on various party matters, with the aim of integrating valuable input from members who have previously served the party.

The amendments, which introduce new structures to the party, were moved by chairperson Fayyaz Ismail during Wednesday's national assembly meeting. 

The National Consultative Assembly is designed to serve as an advisory body, leveraging the knowledge and experience of veteran members who may no longer be involved in the party’s day-to-day activities. These members will be appointed by the national assembly, and the creation of this body aims to ensure that those with deep-rooted experience in party affairs can continue to contribute to the MDP’s strategic direction.

"The purpose of this is to seek the opinions and consultations of those who have been involved in the party's activities in the past. The members will be appointed by the national assembly. The purpose is to create a count of people who have served the party for many years and are [currently] away from direct work, but their experience and their insights on various issues for the party in an official capacity [or] into the party system," Fayyaz said.

In addition to the creation of the National Consultative Assembly, the amendments introduced three new branches aimed at enhancing party governance and engagement. These include:

Fayyaz emphasised that these changes are intended to improve the party's management and increase the involvement of members in grassroots politics, particularly in islands.

While the amendments were passed with the support of 42 members in attendance, the session was not without debate. Some members raised concerns over the legality of the national assembly’s ability to amend the party’s charter without first convening a congress.

The primary argument centred around Article 99 of the MDP charter, which stipulates that charter changes must be approved by a majority of party congress members. 

However, Article 101 allows the national assembly to amend the charter under specific circumstances, such as when there is a deficiency in the rules, an administrative issue, or a delay in filling a designated office.

Fayyaz defended the decision, stating that party lawyers had advised that the amendments could be enacted under Article 101, given the urgent need for reforms.

He also noted that a party congress is scheduled for mid-next year, at which point the congress can formally endorse the changes.

"These reforms are necessary to run the party at the moment, and it is too late to hold these reforms without making the necessary amendments now," Fayyaz said.