MDP authorises Pres Solih to negotiate coalitions for polls
President Solih said late last year that no party alone can win the election.
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
MDP’s national assembly on Wednesday granted the authority to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to form alliances with other political parties, political leaders and political activities for this year's presidential election.
The meeting held at Izzuddin School Wednesday evening was about MDP's alliance with other political parties in this year's presidential elections. It was the first meeting of the National Assembly since the party's high-profile primary last month.
In the meeting:
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MDP moved a resolution authorising the president to form an alliance with others, by Kinbidhoo MP Mohamed Nashiz, who served as his campaign manager in the primary
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The motion moved by Nashiz was passed by a vote of 81 of the 85 lawmakers present at the meeting
Presenting the resolution at the meeting, Nashiz said the party's basic rules state that the presidential candidate will be the head of the party until the end of the presidential election.
The candidate is at the helm of the party's policies, and if the party's presidential candidate feels it is important to connect with others in the upcoming presidential elections, it is important that the party's top brass has that privilege and authority to allow a coalition to be coloured, Nashiz said.
Regarding the importance of forming a coalition, Nashiz pointed out in the resolution:
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Contesting and winning elections by a single party alone is not the best option
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MDP won the 2018 presidential elections with an alliance
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This is the only term in which an alliance has survived
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The chances of winning an election through an alliance are high
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It was realised during this period that a coalition government would help maintain political stability in the country
"This party has the power to enter into an agreement in the name of the party and to enter into agreements with any other political party or political leader or political activity in the country and to sign such agreements on behalf of the party if it is found to be an alliance with other political parties and political parties, but are identified as political activities," it said.
When the motion was opened for debate, MDP's Thimarafushi constituency president Anwar Ibrahim proposed an amendment to the resolution requiring the president’s decisions to be presented to the party's national parliament. The National Assembly passed Nashiz's resolution including Anwar's amendment.
"The National Assembly of the Party intends to give the party's presidential candidate, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih the power to sign such agreements, and to share the decisions taken with the party's National Assembly", Ismail said.
President Solih, who was the first to express his desire for a second term in office, said late last year that no party alone can win the election and that he is confident that he can defend the regime through a coalition. Since then, he has held informal talks with some coalition leaders.
President Solih came to power in 2018 through a coalition. While the alliance is still intact, they are yet to decide on an alliance with the president in this election.
