Pres Solih backs speaker Nasheed’s ouster, govt says

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih supports the removal of Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, the government said on Thursday.

Ruling MDP's parliamentary group on Tuesday approved Nasheed's removal from the post of speaker with the votes of 36 MDP lawmakers, accusing him of running the parliament in violation of the parliament's rules of procedure. A day later, the motion was submitted to the parliament with the signatures of 54 MPs. 

At a press conference held by the President's Office on Wednesday, when asked about President Solih's stance in removing Nasheed, presidential spokesperson Miuvan Mohamed said that MDP's parliamentary group is carrying out the work in consultation with the president. He made it clear that the president would support the decision taken by the majority of MDP MPs to remove Nasheed.

"The president will also stand with the majority of the parliamentary group. The president consults with them... Talks are going on," Miuvan said in response to the question from Atoll Times.

According to the case filed by MDP's PG to remove Nasheed, the case was filed because lawmakers were denied the opportunity to perform their constitutional duties.

The no-confidence motion accused the speaker of deliberately delaying the reconstitution of the parliament's standing committees.