News Desk
MALE’, Maldives — A member of the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) warned on Sunday that the party might withdraw from the government coalition, citing unfulfilled commitments made during last year’s presidential election.
Mohammed Abbas, an MDA lawmaker, said the ruling coalition led by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has failed to uphold its agreement with the party. Abbas’s statement, posted on X, underscored longstanding tensions in Maldivian coalition politics, where ruling parties rarely adhere to power-sharing arrangements.
Before the runoff in the 2023 presidential election, Muizzu and MDA President Ahmed Siyam Mohamed engaged in negotiations and signed an agreement to secure MDA’s backing. Abbas is now calling on Muizzu to honor those commitments, warning that MDA, a minor party with two parliamentary seats, may have to reconsider its alliance with the government.
MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, a mercurial tycoon, may wield little influence whether he leaves or continues to support President Muizzu. In Maldivian politics, such statements are often strategic, aimed at securing government concessions, as seen in the past.
“If the government does not implement the agreement made that day, without remembering the support it received from the MDA president and the MDA, we may have to leave the coalition,” Abbas said.
The MDA initially endorsed then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the first round of the election. However, the party later withdrew its support and backed Muizzu in the runoff, helping to secure his victory.
Political coalitions in the Maldives have long been tenuous, often unraveling after election victories as parties vie for influence and resources. It remains to be seen whether Muizzu’s government will address MDA’s concerns, but Abbas’s warning hints at fractures within the ruling bloc.
