Shahid welcomes return of Nasheed, Democrats

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Abdulla Shahid has welcomed the decision by former President Mohamed Nasheed and members of The Democrats to rejoin the MDP.

In a post on X, Shahid said the focus should be on future progress rather than past events.

“I welcome the decision of The Democrats to return to the MDP. We should not be slaves of the past. We should always aim for the future,” he said.

He also stated that cooperation leads to success and called on members of other political parties, as well as those seeking to move the country forward, to join the MDP.

“The only political party in Maldives that has a future is the MDP,” Shahid said.

He is expected to be among the contenders for the party’s 2028 presidential ticket.

The remarks came following an emergency session of the MDP National Assembly held Wednesday. While the meeting was not open to the media, a member who attended confirmed that the assembly agreed to welcome Nasheed and the members of The Democrats who are returning to the party.

MDP Chairman Fayyaz Ismail and former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih also issued separate statements welcoming the move. Solih did not mention Nasheed by name but welcomed the decision of The Democrats.

The Democrats were formed by Nasheed’s supporters after internal disagreements escalated during the final year of Solih’s presidency. The split is seen by some within the party as a contributing factor to Solih’s loss in the last presidential election.