Ex-pres Nasheed's Democrats fail to win a single seat
Both Imthiyaz and Eva welcomed the new MPs shortly after the provisional results were announced.
By
Azhaar Abdul Azeez
Former president Mohamed Nasheed's The Democrats, the breakaway faction of the main opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) failed to win a single seat in the parliamentary elections held Saturday.
Long-serving Democrats members such as Imthiyaz Fahmy, and Eva Abdullah failed to defend their seats while several of its younger candidates primarily lost out to the ruling PPM/PNC candidates.
MDP candidate Mohammed Ibrahim defeated Eva Abdullah, who served as the Member of Parliament for Galolhu South for 15 years. Maldives National Party (MNP) president Mohamed Nazim won the Maafannu North constituency on a government ticket, defeating MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, who has also been an MP for 15 continuous years.
Both Imthiyaz and Eva welcomed the new MPs shortly after the provisional results were announced.
"I congratulate Nazim on his victory in the Maafannu North constituency. And thank you to those who voted for me this time as well as to all those who participated in the vote”, Imthiyaz wrote in his message.
"I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the trust and confidence you have given me in the past”, Eva wrote in her congratulatory message, thanking her supporters.
Nasheed formed The Democrats shortly before the presidential elections after a major falling out with the then president and childhood friend Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The split within MDP proved costly in the last elections as The Democrats led by Nasheed garnered over 15,000 votes which ultimately proved the difference between Solih and Muizzu.
But just under six months the rather embarrassing defeat would be a major blow for the future of the Democrats as seasoned party leaders failed their re-election bids. Nasheed who is still a serving lawmaker in the current parliament had recently taken a step back from politics to take up the post of CVF president and shifted to Ghana. The former president had however returned to Maldives a few days before the election to join his party's campaign.
