President of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed has stated the governing system needs to be changed to a parliamentary system, adding however, there are much crucial services to be delivered to the citizens before altering the governing system.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with PSM News, President of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih must be given space and time to provide the services envisioned and pledged by him before working to change the governing system to a parliamentary system. Former President Nasheed revealed it is not the best way to jump to the prime minister post without giving time to President Solih to fulfil his pledges.
During the interview, Nasheed reiterated the governing system needs to be changed. In this regard, he added he always supports the parliamentary system, noting MDP standby the beliefs and aspects of a parliamentary system. When asked why he aspires to be the prime minister, Mohamed Nasheed commented his political life is not over yet, deflecting from giving a straight answer.
Further, Nasheed said the system would be changed, only after extensive discussions with branches and congress of MDP followed by a public referendum. However, Nasheed added any efforts to alter to a parliamentary system must only begin with the approval of the president. Elaborating why he wishes to establish a parliamentary system, Nasheed expressed parliamentary systems are more suitable and can be implemented well as the population of the country is small compared to other countries.
Additionally, Nasheed underlined the powers of the president must also be stated clearly. Meanwhile, President Solih has previously commented on the governing system, saying the current system is a mixture of many. In this regard, he stated in any governing system, the most important rule is authenticity.
Maldives functions as a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president is the head of the government, with the executive power is exercised by the government. A constitutional referendum was taken in Maldives on August 18, 2007 to decide on whether the country should follow a presidential system or a parliamentary system. Then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom supported a presidential system, while the then opposition MDP led by Nasheed favoured a parliamentary system. Official results showed the presidential system winning over 60%. Maumoon, who had been president for 30 years, called the result a massive endorsement and confirmed he would be a candidate in the 2008 presidential election. However, he lost the election to Nasheed, the first democratically elected president of Maldives.