MDP demands Nasheed, Eva to resign to end parliament deadlock
According to MDP, the best democratic practice would be for both of them to resign from their posts.
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed and deputy speaker Eva Abdulla, who have no-confidence motions filed against them, should resign from their posts, the parliamentary group of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said on Monday.
Two no-confidence motions have been submitted to the parliament, signed by a number of MDP lawmakers, seeking the removal of Nasheed as speaker and Eva as deputy speaker.
-
The 14-day notice sent to Eva in the case expired on Sunday and the parliament secretariat removed the motion from Sunday’s agenda as the parliamentary standing committees had not been constituted
-
On the same day, Nasheed informed the parliament that he was no longer willing to chair sittings until a decision was taken on the no-confidence motion against him
-
MDP leader Mohamed Aslam has earlier said that Nasheed should not chair sittings as the no-confidence motion was moved with a huge mandate from MDP's parliamentary group
-
In a message to the parliament's official WhatsApp group on Sunday evening, Nasheed said that the best thing for MDP would be to withdraw Eva's motion and file her confidence motion again after the no-confidence motion against him is voted on
-
Although the parties still have not agreed on the formation of committees, Eva's motion has been placed on the agenda for Tuesday’s sitting
He also pointed out that although the no-confidence motion was filed against the speaker, the rules do not bar him from presiding over the sitting that debates and votes on Eva's motion.
"Therefore, we are not thinking of withdrawing any of the cases that we have filed now," said Mohamed Abdulla Shafeeg, speaking as the media coordinator of the party's parliamentary group.
He said since the no-confidence motions were moved with a huge majority of the MPs, the best democratic practice is that both of them should resign from their posts.
