Parliament rejects motion on disclosure of political appointments

Parliament on Thursday dismissed an emergency motion filed by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, which called for the government to disclose the number of political positions and their responsibilities.

In a vote held on Thursday, 59 members voted against the motion, while eight supported it. The motion sought to address the government's recent decision to reduce the salaries of political appointees and called for greater transparency regarding the number of individuals holding political posts.

Presenting the motion, MP Meekail emphasised that the government's decision to cut the salaries of political appointees made it necessary to reveal the total number of individuals appointed to such positions and their responsibilities.

"Against the backdrop of the proposed reduction in their salaries, I call upon the President and the government to disclose the number of persons appointed by the President to political posts and their responsibilities," he stated.

During his presidential campaign, President Mohamed Muizzu had pledged to keep the number of political appointees limited. The opposition claims that the number of political positions has increased, alleging that the total could exceed 2,000.

In response to concerns about the size of the political workforce, President Muizzu announced on Tuesday that 228 political appointees would be dismissed over the next two weeks as part of a cost-cutting initiative. The positions being cut include:

The government's decision to downsize political appointments is part of ongoing measures to reduce expenses.