Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu Faces Impeachment Heat Amid Parliamentary Turmoil

Maldives President to lose?

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is currently navigating choppy waters as the opposition, led by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), gears up to throw an impeachment curveball in Parliament. The situation intensifies after a chaotic session characterized by interruptions and real-world clashes among political leaders, resembling a scene straight out of the streets.

The MDP, holding the reins with the majority in Parliament, has gathered a formidable force of 34 signatures to back the impeachment motion against President Muizzu. The decision to pull the impeachment trigger was a consensual decision during a high-voltage MDP parliamentary group meeting.

The script took an unexpected turn on Sunday when government MPs stirred the pot, sparking a showdown. In response, the MDP decided to play hardball, signalling a potential denial of approval for key ministers if disruptions persisted. A heavy police presence has been mobilized in the Maldivian parliament

Government supporters caused a stir by protesting, messing up the ongoing parliamentary meeting, according to local news.

The Maldivian Parliament witnessed violent clashes between lawmakers.

Amid the turmoil, a scuffle unfolded between Kanditheemu MP Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem Shaheem and Kendhikulhudhoo MP Ahmed Easa. The altercation ensued when the former accidentally tripped, causing Easa to be knocked down.

Maldivian Crisis: Shaheem incurred head injuries when the two lawmakers tumbled near the chamber during the scuffle. After the fight, Moosa Siraj, the leader of the smaller group, tried to stop it. Shaheem, one of the fighters, was taken to the hospital for his injuries. A video of the fight became popular online.

Because of the chaos, the opposition decided they wanted to start the process to remove Muizzu from his position.

What about the other issues involving Muizzu?

Well, this isn’t the first time Muizzu has gotten on the opposition’s nerves. The guy, who’s a big fan of China, asked India to pull out its military personnel from the Maldives as soon as he became the boss. According to him, the people of the Maldives gave him the thumbs up to make that request to India. He also questioned the many deals the Maldives has made with India lately.

PRO-China Muizzu and Chinese ship:

Muizzu also gave the green signal for a Chinese spy ship, the Xiang Yang Hong 03, to park in Male. The Maldives said China asked politely for some crew rotation and supplies, but Sri Lanka wasn’t having it and didn’t let the ship dock. It’s supposed to roll into Male on February 5, and India is keeping an eagle eye on it because it’s packing some fancy surveillance gear.

When did things get worse?

Then, things got a bit spicy between the Maldives and India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted pictures of his Lakshadweep trip. Some folks, including three ministers in Muizzu’s squad, posted not-so-nice stuff about Modi and India on social media. Even though the government kicked those three out and said, “Our bad,” people in India are a bit miffed and are talking about giving the Maldives a bit of a cold shoulder.

Maldivian President Muizzu and the opposition

Adding to Muizzu’s challenges, MDP candidate Adam Azim won the mayoral elections in Male in January, defeating Aishath Azima Shakoor of Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC). Azim’s victory was described as a “landslide.”

The opposition had earlier cautioned Muizzu against his anti-India stance, emphasizing the importance of maintaining stability and security in the Indian Ocean for the Maldives’ overall development.

India’s Stance:

India wants to be friends with its neighbours and promises not to interfere in their business. The main goal is to have peace and respect and work together for development in the South Asian region.

India is also focused on keeping the Indian Ocean safe and secure. Especially for countries like the Maldives, India wants to help with their overall progress. By making sure the ocean is stable and supporting sustainable growth, India aims to create a peaceful and prosperous region.

In short, India’s foreign policy is all about being good neighbours, respecting each other’s space, and working together for a safer and better future in the South Asian region.