Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed has confirmed that he planned on running in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) primary for the next presidential election. Nasheed, who is currently serving as speaker of parliament, is in Germany for treatment after a failed assassination bid on him. 

Speaking on Monday during an episode of Ask Speaker program, he said he would prefer to have a parliamentary system in the country in lieu of the presidential which exists currently. He also suggested conducting a referendum next year to decide if the country wanted a parliamentary system. 

“I believe governance will improve with a parliamentary system,” Nasheed was quoted as saying by Sun news, “It is useful to hold a referendum in 2022 to make the change.”

The country last conducted such a referendum in 2007, when it chose the presidential system of governance. Nasheed, the first democratically elected president of the archipelago, was forced to resign in 2012 under the pressure from the country’s defense forces. 

Significantly, he said that Abdullah Yameen, the jailed former president and the political opponent of Nasheed, would also work with him to establish a parliamentary system in the country. 

“I don’t believe there’ll be a presidential election in the Maldives. I believe President Yameen will work together with me to establish a parliamentary system in the Maldives,” Nasheed.  “And when the referendum is taken, I believe we can face the referendum with PPM ( Yameen’s party) and MDP ( the ruling party) together,” he added. 

(SAM)