MDP postpones extraordinary congress until after local council elections

Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has passed to hold its extraordinary congress in mid-next year, after the local council elections.

The decision was reached during MDP’s National Council meeting held last night. The extraordinary congress was initially scheduled for August 15^th.

It was Ahmed Saleem, the party’s Hoarafushi constituency president and former parliamentary representative for Hoarafushi constituency, who proposed to postpone the extraordinary congress to mid-next year. His proposal included electing a committee within the National Council, to be tasked with organizing the congress.

Saleem’s proposal was backed by Thulhaadhoo constituency’s president Abdulla Siraj, and ultimately passed with the votes of 45 members in attendance.

While the party has passed to hold the extraordinary congress after the local council elections, it did not select a specific date.

A congress is the party’s biggest event. According to MDP’s Articles of Association, the party is required to hold a congress once every five years. However, an extraordinary congress can be called at any time.

Prior to this, MDP’s chairperson, Fayyaz Ismail, had said he would propose merging the party’s leader and chairperson posts during the congress.

He argued that the leader of the party should be an individual solely dedicated to running the party. Following this line of thought, he stated that he would propose a rule preventing the party leader from holding any political posts, even during an MDP administration. Fayyaz also mentioned that he would present further proposals.

Extraordinary congresses are held over an emergency issue. MDP last held a congress in 2022, and an extraordinary congress in 2018, at AA. Ulkulhas.

The extraordinary congress was held after the party’s then-leader, former president Mohamed Nasheed was barred from contesting in 2018’s presidential election. During the congress, former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who went on to win the election that year, was presented with the party’s presidential ticket. 

The highest authority of MDP, which has over 43,000 registered members, is the party’s congress.