MDP chairperson election: Nasheed leading by a landslide in most islands

Preliminary results from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s chairperson election indicate that former president Mohamed Nasheed is leading in the majority of ballot boxes counted so far.

Nasheed currently holds a landslide advantage over his rival, South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, who is backed by former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The election which kicked off at 14:30pm, concluded after 20:30pm tonight. Preliminary results available so far place Nasheed in the lead.

Members of the party who are listed on the party’s membership registry as of April 22 are eligible to vote in the election. 

To ensure the integrity of the election process, the party has established a special Compliance Committee to monitor the election and address any complaints. MDP also confirmed that all logistical arrangements, including the deployment of election officials to voting centres nationwide, have been completed..

The election is regarded as politically significant for the MDP, marking the first major internal contest involving Nasheed since his return to the party after leaving ahead of the last presidential election to form a new political party, The Democrats. Supporters of Solih argue that Nasheed’s actions at the time contributed to the party’s defeat in the 2023 presidential race.

Meanwhile, supporters of Nasheed argue that the party strayed from its founding principles under Solih’s leadership and that Nasheed was sidelined. As a result, the contest between the two candidates is widely viewed as a decisive battle that will determine which faction shapes the party’s future direction.

Both candidates conducted energetic campaigns in the lead-up to the vote. Nasheed’s campaign focused on restoring the party’s "Yellow Army" while advocating for structural reforms. Meekail’s campaign, built around the slogan "Trust," emphasized party unity and pledged to strengthen the representation of ordinary members and local councilors within the party’s National Council.