A coalition government with cabinet posts divided among parties is not compatible with the presidential system envisioned in the Maldivian constitution, former President Mohamed Nasheed reiterated during campaign rallies at Fuvahmulah and Addu City this weekend.
Addressing large crowds in the two southernmost atolls, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate accused mogul politicians of forming political parties only to offer its members “on a platter” to negotiate coalition agreements.
“[They say] my party will enter a coalition with your party if I can get this many seats in cabinet, that many judges, as well as a large warehouse and two resorts,” Nasheed said in Fuvahmulah on Thursday night (April 25), adding that “business” deals were made between leaders while party members remained “oblivious.”
Nasheed had previously characterised the cabinet of President Dr Mohamed Waheed as less of a team committed to shared goals than a group of individuals with divided loyalties and disparate ideologies often working at cross-purposes.
Both the Maldives’ own experience of ruling coalitions as well as lessons from “human experience” have established the conditions whereby such alliances could govern effectively without becoming unstable, Nasheed observed.
“In a presidential system, dividing the cabinet into four or five parts is not something we could do under any circumstances, [and] it is not something permitted by the Maldivian constitution either,” Nasheed said in Fuvahmulah.
According to the constitution, Nasheed continued, cabinet ministers are appointed by the president and are sworn to serve at his pleasure.
The constitution does not permit cabinet ministers to take orders from their parties instead of the president, Nasheed added.
Coalition governments therefore went against “the spirit of the constitution,” said Nasheed, and could not function under a presidential system.
Nasheed repeated the criticism of power sharing coalitions in his speech the following night (April 26) in Hithadhoo, Addy City.
The incentive for the proposed “broad coalition” to compete against the MDP was the hoped-for rewards of government posts and the country’s resources, such as uninhabited islands, to be divided among coalition partners, Nasheed contended.
Power sharing agreement
Nasheed’s remarks came while parties in the ruling coalition led by President Dr Mohamed Waheed are reportedly engaged in discussions over power sharing agreements.
However, in addition to President Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihad Party (GIP), all major government-aligned parties have fielded presidential candidates, including MP Abdulla Yameen from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), MP Gasim Ibrahim from the Jumhooree Party (JP) and MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
Smaller parties such as the religious conservative Adhaalath Party and the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) – led by Special Adviser to the President Dr Hassan Saeed – have entered into a coalition with Dr Waheed’s GIP.
While business magnate Gasim Ibrahim is reportedly in talks with Dr Waheed over a potential power sharing agreement, the JP presidential candidate has said he would not consider becoming the running mate of any other candidate.
At its recently-concluded fourth congress, DRP Leader Thasmeen meanwhile dismissed the possibility of a coalition with either the PPM or MDP.
The PPM was formed in 2011 by DRP founder, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, following months of factional squabbling and an acrimonious war of words between the PPM figurehead and his successor at DRP.
PPM MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News last week that parties in the ruling coalition needed to reassess their views on power sharing after thousands of people attended a MDP rally on April 19 to celebrate the signing of Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid.
In his speech at the MDP rally in Addu City last night (April 26), Shahid meanwhile said that 1,300 people have signed for the party during the past week.
Speaking at his first MDP rally on April 19, Shahid pledged to carry out a recruitment drive across the country to bolster the party’s membership strength ahead of the September presidential election.
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Problem with Nasheed is that he do not want to share his power with anyone and he want everything for himself.
Coalition will be better for the country since it will have a better understandings of the people and better representation of the people and its community.
Problem will be who will be to lead the coalition ? For sure Nasheed can not and he had proven himself of not being able to manage due to his greed in 2008 and we all know that he will not find any one to make coalition with him this time.
waheed had proven himself of the potential leader who has the capacity to manage a coalition and if all other political parties align with him , then Nasheed will find himself in no where close to " Thahuthu".
Nasheed is right. Coalitions are a last ditch attempt at forming governments when all else has failed. At least that's how it works in modern democracies.
In the "special democracy" of the Maldives, it's the other way around! Coalition formation seems to be the first and only option in the minds of some politicians. Of course, this "special democracy" was a gift to us, by the Father of Democracy, Herr Maumoon Abd El Gayyoom, the Emperor.
Cailition:-More ppl can eat but the majority of public gets nothing. They live in the rabit whole thinking that they are with alice.
A coalition would be better if said coalition truly represented the views and will of the people. This cannot be said of the current coalition government. The Waheed administration has proved itself to be a brutal regime that will do whatever is necessary to stay in power, including beating up and intimidating its opponents. If faced with bloodshed Waheed administration would cause more bloodshed. But when Nasheed was threatened with bloodshed he did the honorable thing and gave in. He let it go. He resigned in the name of peace.
Who is the dictator here? Who is greedy for power? Wake the **** up! I don't think even you believe the things that you yourself are saying. Nobody can be THAT deluded, not even a Maldivian.
oh by the way my comment was directed at Kuribee.
Yep, as the Father of Coalitions, Emperor Abd El Gayyoom said, "Coalitions are for the weak, I created it so that superior beings like myself can rise above them".
Just take a look at puppet man Waheed. The guy hasn't got a clue as to what's happening around him. He's afraid to make any decisions, in case it annoys his "coalition". The pie has to be shared amongst the "coalition".
Just like the ancient Greeks, when faced with an irrational number, no one knows how to divvy up the pie and the inevitable squabbling starts. But then again, that's how Emperor Abd El Gayyoom designed it; blessed be his great mind.
Nasheed came to power because of many people who voted him, because Qasim and Hassan Saeed made a coalition with him. What kind of a guy is this Nasheed?
As the king advances, the rear flanks also need help. This is the rear flank rook, ensuring the victory, by sowing in just the right amount of discord among all parties. Now any parties who were having coalition-thoughts would have another reason not to form one.
This is good though. MDP will win first round.
Days of Bearded Camels are numbered!
falooooda, let me explain. Kuribee is just a paid commenter from Ruder Finn. You know, some publicity corp that Waheed bought the services of?
2008 first round Nasheed 25% of votes
2008 second round Nasheed 53% of votes. (that was WATAN EDEY GOTAH" not a COALITION)
Day before yesterday few Maldivian had demonstration in front of CMAH head queater in London holding pictures of police brutality.?
But the best part of the picture was that those pictures were proven to be taken during what i called " Nasheed's brutality". The man who was arrested by 8 policemen was hard-core PPM activist .
The peace loving president Nasheed ?
@ Kuribee
Yes.
The old royal system is back and gender differences are reborn again making it difficult for women staff in several offices. Some political appointees of the Maumoon regime think less of women. They talk well about women in podiums but in practice they do not want women in decision making position. Those women in higher positions are treated unfairly at all levels. Dr Waheed may not be aware of it but this is happening. He as the head of the Country should check on the performance of his Ministers and how they treat women staff. I call upon the Gender Minister to do a survey on this important issue.
so why in the world did you form a coalition last time around , because that was the only way you could win and then you kicked them all out