Nasheed delays system referendum to 'make room' for Muizzu's pres term

Public referendum on changing the system of governance from presidential to parliamentary, which was scheduled to be held before October 30, has been postponed to make room for President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu's presidential term, speaker Mohamed Nasheed announced Wednesday. 

Nasheed, who was presiding over Wednesday's sitting, said it was agreed during his meeting with Muizzu at the parliament secretariat Tuesday.

“Now I and the Democrats who asked for the vote want to allow Muizzu to form his government and continue working under the presidential system,” Nasheed said.

"Therefore, I ask the honourable MPs to start this presidential term nicely and to give Muizzu this space so that we can all facilitate him to carry out the presidency nicely."

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 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. 

Despite earlier setting October 29 as the tentative date for holding a proposed public referendum on changing the system of governance from presidential to parliamentary, the date will be announced later as more time is needed to prepare for the vote, the Elections Commission has said in a letter to the parliament on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, the MDP’s National Council on Tuesday decided not to support a parliamentary system if the country goes to a referendum to change the system of government.