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Nasheed to run for president again

Lamya Abdulla
07 July 2021, MVT 01:58
Speaker Nasheed answering questions during "Ask Speaker" program held by the Parliament --
Lamya Abdulla
07 July 2021, MVT 01:58

Parliament Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed announced on Monday that he would run for presidency in the 2023.

In a virtual event held by the Parliament of Maldives called "Ask Speaker," Nasheed reiterated he still believes what would work best for Maldives is a parliamentary system and not a presidential system. However if Maldives was to have a presidential election in 2023, he would participate in the MDP primary election that would determine the presidential candidate from the party.

When a journalist asked him if he would support President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih should he end up getting the support of MDP, Nasheed said he would be the one to win.

If he were to lose, he would support President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih he said.

"... I believe there won't come a day I am not supporting the MDP candidate," Nasheed said.

Presidential candidate of MDP is elected in the party primary.

Even though this is the first time he has expressed interest in becoming a presidential candidate for MDP for 2023, he said his preferred system of administration is till the parliamentary system. He said he would start working to change the system and he would get the support from the opposition party PPM as well.

The constitution states a referendum has to be held if the administrative system is to be changed.

Nasheed is currently in the United Kingdom for medical care for injuries sustained in the assassination attempt on May 6.

Nasheed became the first democratically-elected president of Maldives in 2008 in a historic win over the Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's 30-year rule. But he then resigned from the top slot in February 2012 under duress following what is largely referred to as an opposition-backed military coup.

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