Jumhooree Party (JP), led by Maamigili MP Qasim Ibrahim, and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) have initiated discussions to form an alliance in preparation for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for September 9.
While Qasim has already received the party's presidential candidacy, the MRM leader, Faris Maumoon, has also announced his decision to run for the presidential election. As part of the candidacy process, Faris Maumoon is currently clearing his police record, which is a necessary requirement when submitting the candidacy form.
While JP's teams have already started engaging in campaign activities, the official presidential campaign has not yet begun. The party is actively seeking allies to support their efforts in securing a single candidate for the elections, increasing their chances of winning. JP has been engaging in talks with various other parties as part of their strategy to form a coalition and strengthen their position in the presidential race.
Both JP and MRM are coalition partners of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which was formed for the 2018 election. As of now, neither JP nor MRM has officially exited from the alliance.
Despite being part of the ruling coalition, both JP and MRM have rejected the invitation from MDP to renew coalition ties for this year's election.
Both party's held talks on Tuesday, July 25, at the Jumhooree Party's main hub. The meeting was attended by JP's Deputy leader, Dr. Ameen Ibrahim, and Kendhoo MP, Ali Hussain on behalf of JP, and Faris Maumoon representing MRM.
After the meeting, Faris expressed that their hope for national reform work has been renewed.
"Our wish is for both parties to reach an agreement that will strengthen our collective efforts in reform work," Faris said.
At the meeting, the parties reached a mutual understanding on deciding the unofficial and official formation of a coalition.
"We have hope about reaching agreements on matters where our opinions differ," Faris added.
JP's deputy leader expressed support for the idea of a unified candidate if it serves the best interests of the public.
"We won't achieve the desired outcome without working together, and we will strive in that direction," Ameen said.
Earlier, the Elections Commission (EC) announced its decision to dissolve MRM, citing that the party failed to meet the minimum required number of members. According to EC regulations, a party must have 3,000 registered members to be eligible.
This poses a significant hurdle for MRM in its bid to field Faris as a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.
Despite EC's attempt to dissolve MRM, the party obtained an interim injunction from the Civil Court, effectively halting any further action towards its dissolution. The EC's request to the Civil Court to revise the decision was unsuccessful, however, the EC has since excluded MRM from its meetings with political parties.
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