Gasim voices against system referendum post pres election

Gasim Ibrahim, who was served as the speaker of the special assembly that draft the current constitution, said on Sunday that it is against the spirit of the constitution to hold a referendum on changing the system of governance before the president-elect takes oath of office after having been elected in accordance with the constitution and laws of the Maldives.

Parliament had in late September sent to the Elections Commission a resolution seeking a referendum on the system of governance in Maldives by October 30. 

The Elections Commission (EC), which has tentatively set October 29 as the date for the referendum, has since requested the parliament to determine and provide the question to be asked of the people in the public referendum seeking views on changing the country's governance system.

Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, a long-time advocate of changing the existing presidential system to a parliamentary system, was set to submit a proposal to the parliament last week to determine the wording on the ballot paper to be used in the referendum on the governance system in Maldives, as well as a paper on the proposed system of governance. 

However, the sitting was called off after the parliament failed to meet the quorum. 

PPM-PNC candidate Dr Mohamed Muizz has been elected as the president of the Maldives for the next five years. Muizz won the election with 53.78% of the vote.

Following Saturday’s election, a referendum on the system of governance is not the best thing to do at the moment, JP leader Gasim said in a post on 'X':

"It is unacceptable for any well-meaning citizen of the country to disrupt the entire system with the intention of suddenly changing the system of government, contrary to the Constitution, the rule of law and the principles of democracy," he said.

“Taking such a vote to achieve what you want will only destroy the political, social and economic stability of the country and lead to corruption,” he said.

Gasim added:

For the sake of the peace and future of the country, the powers of government should be handed over to the people's elected representatives and the country should move forward in peace, he said.

He said the country can only move forward if there is peace in the country and called for an end to the attempt to hold a referendum and bring about a parliamentary system.

Most people acknowledge that there is no additional benefit to the people from the transition to a parliamentary system, he said, adding that such a system would only benefit MPs and the prime minister who gets to parliament with a few votes.

Gasim has refused a systematic vote, while President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who lost Saturday's election, said late last month that he would launch a systematic vote regardless of the second round results after the meeting held with Speaker Nasheed.