Some cabinet ministers have expressed support for maintaining the presidential system, stating that a parliamentary system would not be an adequate system of government for the Maldives.
In a tweet, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid said he supports a system of government by which citizens directly vote for the leader of the state. He also said the parliament should have the authority to make and change laws while holding the state leader accountable and that the judiciary should apply the law and establish justice.
Additionally, Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail, who is also the Chairperson of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), told media outlets that he has always called for the presidential system to be maintained in the country.
Furthermore, Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla said a parliamentary system is inadequate for the Maldives and that it has the potential to create public distrust and political disorder in the country by allowing governments to be removed quickly. Minister Imran, who is the leader of the ruling coalition partner Adhaalath Party (AP), said that establishing a parliamentary system would only harm the people.
Meanwhile, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has also voiced opposition to establishing a parliamentary system in the Maldives and requested the withdrawal of the constitutional amendments proposed by President of MDP Mohamed Nasheed to be approved by the party congress to establish a parliamentary system. President Solih said the proposed amendments will not pass the vote at the MDP congress, and that even if it does, they would have to be debated at the Parliament of the Maldives. He said that the top priority should be to overcome the challenges the country is facing, and that efforts should not be diverted toward changing the system of government.