The Election Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has granted permission to Former President Abdulla Yameen to establish his new political party, the People's National Front (PNF).
ECM stated that PNF is now tasked with submitting a minimum of 3,000 membership forms to the commission within the next three months, as part of the approval process. Notably, the new party is founded under the name of Yameen's son Zein Abdulla Yameen, given his inability to form the party himself due to his prison sentence.
The Constitution prohibits individuals with criminal convictions serving sentences exceeding 12 months from applying to create a political party. In light of this, the formation of PNF is being facilitated by former Minister of Communication, Science, and Technology Mohamed Maleeh Jamal and former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed on behalf of Yameen.
In a statement to the media, Maleeh expressed confidence that PNF would emerge as a prominent force in the Maldivian political landscape.
Yameen's departure from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), a party he led for an extended period, has triggered heightened tensions within the PPM/PNC coalition. The development took place within the first week of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's administration.