Will Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu be impeached? Here’s how numbers stack up amid escalating row

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is facing impeachment proceedings following clashes in Parliament over the weekend. The main opposition MDP — which holds a majority — has reportedly gathered requisite signatures and plans to submit the motion on Monday. The developments also come amid an escalating diplomatic row with India. 

Mohamed Muizzu was elected President of the Maldives in late 2023 after securing 54% of the vote share. However the ruling coalition holds only 19 seats in the People's Majlis — a fact that makes Muizzu's ouster a very real possibility. An impeachment motion requires a two-thirds majority from the 80-seat House in order to be passed.

The Maldivian Democratic Party led by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih currently holds a majority with 43 members in Parliament. The Democrats party led by another former President – Mohamed Nasheed – holds 13 seats. The Muizzu-led alliance in contrast has merely 19 members.

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“The MDP, in partnership with the Democrats, have gathered enough signatures for an impeachment motion. However, they have yet to submit it,” Sun.com quoted an MDP lawmaker to explain.

Local news portal Adhadhu indicated that 34 lawmakers have given their support to the impeachment motion.

The situation had been somewhat different until November — when seven lawmakers resigned from Parliament to assume top positions in the Muizzu-led government. With the Elections Commission deciding against by-polls (since parliamentary polls are scheduled for 2024), the MDP had amended the Parliament's standing orders. Under the new rules, vacated seats are not counted during the determination of the total number of members.

According to local media reports, the Attorney General's Office filed a case with the Maldives Supreme Court on Sunday over the recent amendment. However the court is yet to register the case.

(With inputs from agencies)