All parties must compete during the first round of elections: PPM

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that all parties must individually compete in the upcoming presidential elections in order gauge their support, and then form coalitions for the second round of voting.

Speaking to the press inside PPM's office today, the party’s Spokesperson and Galolhu-south MP Ahmed Mahlouf said the purpose of forming a political party is to come to power and that declaring support for another candidate in the very first round of elections would defeat the purpose of forming their party.

“The purpose of forming a political party is to come to power. We do not believe that instead, if you declare support for a certain person at the beginning, then there is no purpose to forming a political party. Don’t all our candidates have to test this individually? To see how many votes they get. If the people do not decide to give power to one particular party, we will form a coalition,” Mahlouf said.

He said that the only way for the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) may win would be for them to succeed in the first round of voting, which he said, MDP cannot accomplish. He said that "even if" a party was to win the first round of elections, the party would be PPM.

Mahlouf said the party will share their position and progress on forming coalitions during a special event planned for Friday night at 21:00 at Carnival area. A few extraordinary things will be announced during the event, he said.