MDP Presidential Primary to be held on January 28, 2023

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has announced that the primary election to choose the party's presidential candidate for the upcoming presidential election will be held on January 28, 2023.

The main contenders in the election are incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, and the party's President and Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed.

Solih has already announced his decision to run for a second term at a press conference held at the President's Office in June, 2022. Sources close to Nasheed, meanwhile, confirmed that he was working with his teams to prepare for the primary in 2023.

A minimum of 500 party members must endorse a candidate for them to be eligible to run in the primary. The endorsement form, along with the candidacy form, must be submitted to the MDP Secretariat before 4:00 P.M. on December 24, 2022.

The primary comes amid growing tensions between the two factions within the party; one led by President Solih and the other by Speaker Nasheed. Both sides have begun campaigning as well. While Nasheed's teams work to ensure the membership of individuals who were axed from the MDP, Solih's teams have established a campaign hub in Salt Café in the capital Malé to carry out campaign activities.

Schedule for MDP Primary

- Deadline for accepting primary’s candidacy is December 24, 2022

- Finalised candidates list will be announced on December 26, 2022

- Voters list for the primary will be announced on December 28

- Deadline for lodging any complaints is December 31, 2022

- Candidates contesting in the primary must submit the names of their representatives on January 10, 2023

Article 100 of MDP's general regulation states that a presidential candidate should be elected through a primary election held within the party. The primary candidate with the greatest number of votes will become the party’s candidate to contest in the presidential election. A special five-member committee appointed by the ruling party’s national assembly will oversee the primary’s proceedings.

Significance of this Primary

- Nasheed has contested in every party primary since 2007

- This is the second time an incumbent president has run for re-election; and the first MDP primary where a sitting president will be contesting

- Losing candidates in MDP primaries often do not endorse winning candidates

- The election will test the two factions' ability to work together and how they moving forward as the biggest political party in the Maldives