The Elections Commission (EC) on Wednesday, authorized the formation of the political party 'Maldives Reform Movement'.
EC President Ahmed Shareef, presented Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Yumna Maumoon, the party's founder, with the document authorizing the formation.
The party was conceived by Minister Yumna's father and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
According to local media Mihaaru, MRM representative Aminath Nadira estimated that the party's formative ceremony will be held in November.
Details of over 3,300 members were submitted to EC with the authorization request.
As per the Political Parties Act, a party must have a minimum of 3,000 members to be officially registered at EC. Parties are allocated a three-month period following authorization to fulfil membership requirements.
In order to qualify for state financial assistance, a political party must secure more than 10,000 members.
MRM is the third political party established by Asia’s longest-serving president Maumoon. He established Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) in 2005 after giving his consent to establish political parties in Maldives. His disputes with the party leader, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, led to the establishment of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in October 2011.
Nonetheless, Maumoon was forced to leave PPM over a dispute over its leadership with his estranged half-brother and former president Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
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