Trouble In Muizzu’s Maldives as Opposition Withholds Approval for 4 Members of His Cabinet

In what is turning out to be a political standoff in Maldives, the main opposition party in the island nation has withheld approval for four members of President Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet. The Maldivian Parliament was poised to vote on a 22-member cabinet at 1 pm on Sunday, the SunOnline outlet reported.

But before the vote, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), in a parliamentary group meeting, passed a three-line red whip to withhold approval for four key cabinet members, the report said. Opposition MPs were also prevented from entering the floor of the Parliament ahead of Cabinet’s approval, according to videos making rounds on the internet.

Another opposition party, The Democrats, who recently allied with the Maldivian Democratic Party, decided not to approve three ministers, opting to withhold support for foreign minister Moosa Zameer. These two parties hold 56 out of 87 MPs, making approval for the blacklisted ministers unlikely.

The Government Oversight Committee previously approved the cabinet in December, ensuring all members met constitutional requirements. The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) coalition have expressed concern, saying the denial of approval was a deliberate attempt to hinder the government’s functioning.

Earlier in November, Muizzu formally requested cabinet approval and the Parliament, initially set to vote on December 18. The committee later reconvened on December 30 during recess, ultimately approving the cabinet. The latest political row comes a few days after the two main opposition parties expressed grave concern about the government’s anti-India stance, characterising New Delhi as a key long-standing ally.

The MDP and The Democrats said that alienating any development partner, and especially the country’s most long-standing ally will be “extremely detrimental” to the long-term development of the country. Muizzu, who is considered a pro-China leader, was elected in November after campaigning against India. Earlier this month he went to Beijing to upgrade the bilateral ties with China.