Main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has revealed that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will launch his campaign with a trip to the atolls after the Eid al-Adha holidays.
President Solih received the ticket to contest in the upcoming presidential election on behalf of MDP after winning the primary election. Since then, party officials have been travelling to the atolls and gathering information to draft the manifesto before launching the campaign.
Vice Chairperson of MDP Ibrahim Waheed said that President Solih will begin his trip after the Eid holidays and that the President aims to conduct campaign activities in all inhabited islands before the election. He also said that officials are still travelling to the atolls and that the party is close to completing its manifesto, which will take into account proposals from coalition partners Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) and Adhaalath Party.
Main opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and Jumhoree Party (JP) are also preparing to launch their presidential campaigns after the Eid holidays. Qasim Ibrahim is the candidate of JP while the main opposition’s candidate, former President Abdulla Yameen, will only be able to run in the election if the higher courts appeal his 11-year prison sentence. Meanwhile, candidate of MNP Mohamed Nazim is already on his campaign trip in the atolls.
The presidential election will be held on September 9. ECM stated that the candidacy will be from July 23 to August 3 and the list of candidates will be published on August 9. Candidates will be able to campaign from August 10 to September 8.