Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef stated today that parliaments must be operated with a clear purpose and independence; otherwise, the necessary balance between branches of government will be lost, and public trust will diminish.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Small Branches Workshop, the Vice President noted that robust and independent parliaments are the heart of democratic governance. He emphasized that the Maldives places great importance on its relationship with the Commonwealth and its member states, adding that the country's commitment to strengthening democratic institutions remains strong.

"Building strong and independent parliaments, which is the aim of this workshop, is something linked to the heart of democratic governance. A parliament must function with a clear purpose and independence. Without these, the balance between the branches of government weakens, and the people's trust will diminish," the Vice President said.

He further noted that the workshop commenced today is a highly beneficial endeavor for the Maldives.

Addressing the ceremony, the Speaker of the People's Majlis, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, stated that the goal of the reforms being brought to the Majlis is to strengthen accountability, public participation, and the extent of people's involvement. He highlighted that in recent years, new methods have been introduced to increase public participation in the work of the Majlis.

"One such recent introduction is the e-petition system; it is a system where citizens can submit petitions directly to the Majlis through a digital platform. With this platform, the extent to which citizens can and do participate in the legislative process has significantly increased," Abdul Raheem said.

The Speaker also mentioned that the Majlis carries out various other efforts to include everyone in democratic work, citing the Practice Parliaments held for youth and women as examples of such initiatives.