MDP National Assembly meeting turns heated, vote for interim chair stalls

A meeting of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s National Assembly to elect an interim chairperson descended into arguments last night, forcing the meeting to end before voting could be completed.

The session was held after the abrupt resignation of Fayyaz Ismail on Sunday, ending his four-year tenure as chairperson.

Former Dhihdhoo MP Abdulla Waheed and former Addu Hithadhoo MP Mohamed Aslam had expressed interest in filling the interim role. But questions hung over Aslam’s eligibility, as he is not a member of the National Assembly.

Waheed’s candidacy was backed by supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed's faction, while Aslam was expected to be nominated by the faction of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The meeting, held behind closed doors at the “Faction 5” event hall in the former Westpark area, saw Waheed’s name put to a yes/no vote first. Of the 95 members present, Waheed received 47 votes – one short of the 48 needed to appoint him to the post. When Aslam’s name was about to be submitted, members of the opposing faction objected, triggering a heated dispute.

“At that point, they were close to brawling with each other,” said one National Assembly member who attended the meeting.

Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Waheed (Iburey), a senior figure in Fayyaz’s faction, presided over the meeting. Clashes continued outside the venue after the session was halted.

Fayyaz’s resigned citing the party’s ongoing inability to bridge tensions between Nasheed and Solih. Nasheed’s return to the MDP after a period away has reignited internal debate over how he should be reintegrated, and Fayyaz said he no longer believed the party could move forward “by trying to compensate for the pain suffered in the past.” The party’s future, he said, must be “united.”

MDP remains split over who should lead the party into the 2028 presidential election. A recent WhatsApp group dialogue involving current and former National Assembly members saw a heated exchange between Nasheed and Solih over the party’s defeat in the 2023 presidential race.