President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has revealed that he is engaged in a second round of talks with all political parties, except Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), to join the ruling government coalition.
Speaking to journalists after his visit to Laamu Atoll, President Solih said that some candidates have to accept that they have no chance of winning the presidential election. As such, he said that the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is holding discussions to convince other parties, except PPM, to join its coalition, emphasising that the country as a whole benefit from PPM being a rival to MDP with its differing ideology.
Additionally, President Solih said that parties that left the existing ruling coalition are still in talks with MDP. The President has also invited parliamentarians who left MDP to form The Democrats to rejoin the main ruling party. He said that while some members left MDP, the main ruling party still retains support in the atolls, adding that former members who have rejoined the party did so to serve their constituency.