Solih says presidential elections can only be won through coalitions

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that winning a presidential election in the Maldives requires broad political alliances and cannot be achieved by a single party acting alone.

Solih made the remarks on Saturday night while addressing a campaign event in GDh. Thinadhoo for Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, who is contesting for the post of Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Speaking at the gathering, Solih said the most important factor in achieving electoral success is maintaining unity within the party. He pointed to the MDP's recent performance in local council elections and the Hithadhoo North parliamentary by-election as evidence of the benefits of party unity.

He credited the party's interim chairperson, Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, with helping to maintain that unity.

"The most important thing to win an election is for the party to remain united. Ghafoor has clearly demonstrated that. Since Ghafoor took charge, we have been winning one election after another," Solih said.

However, Solih argued that support from MDP members alone would not be sufficient to secure victory in a presidential election. He said the party must work with other political parties and groups that share similar objectives.

"I still have the courage to say today that winning a presidential election is not something a single party can achieve on its own. We must welcome everyone who wants to develop this country in alignment with our vision," he said.

Solih referred to previous presidential elections, noting that coalition arrangements played a role in the formation of governments in 2008, 2013 and 2018.

He said former President Mohamed Nasheed came to power in 2008 after securing support through a coalition in the second round of voting, while former President Abdulla Yameen won the 2013 election through a coalition formed for the run-off. Solih added that he himself was elected in 2018 as the candidate of a coalition of opposition parties.

"A presidential election can only be won with broad support. You cannot win an election, especially a presidential election, by relying only on yourself and those immediately around you," Solih said.

According to Solih, the MDP currently has around 60,000 members. He said a presidential candidate would need tens of thousands of additional votes beyond the party's membership base, making cooperation with other political groups necessary.

During his speech, Solih also responded to criticism from some within the MDP who have argued that his administration did not function as an MDP government after taking office in 2018.

He said the government was formed under a coalition agreement signed by the leaders of the participating parties, including then-MDP President Mohamed Nasheed.

Solih recalled that Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim had requested that he personally sign the agreement in addition to the party leaders.

"Qasim Ibrahim said he wanted me to sign the agreement as the presidential candidate before he could trust it. Therefore, I signed it in that capacity," Solih said.

He maintained that his administration was run according to the terms of the coalition agreement, including arrangements relating to government positions.

"How the government would be run and how positions would be distributed was laid out in writing. I worked according to that agreement," he said.

Solih also noted that although the coalition agreement envisaged parliamentary and local council elections being contested jointly, the MDP later decided to field candidates independently. He said he nevertheless campaigned alongside MDP candidates during those elections.