Maldives opposition ready to bring impeachment motion against President Muizzu

The main opposition party in the Maldives, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has collected enough signatures needed to initiate a no-confidence motion to launch impeachment proceedings against the Mohamed Muizzu government.

The impeachment motion against the pro-China President is likely to be submitted to the parliament soon. This development comes a day after the Maldivian Parliament witnessed chaos on Sunday when lawmakers came to blows, disrupting a special session convened to seek parliamentary approval for Muizzu’s cabinet ministers. MPs from the ruling alliance consisting of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) clashed with the MDP.

A viral video on social media shows MPs gathered near the speaker’s chair and engaged in a physical fight. During the altercation between Kanditheemu MP Abdulla Hakeem Shaheem and Kendhikulhudhoo MP Ahmed Easa, Shaheem sustained injuries to his head when the two parliamentarians fell near the chamber.

The violence in Parliament occurred after the MDP decided to withhold parliamentary approval for four members of Muizzu’s cabinet ahead of the voting. Subsequently, pro-government MPs initiated a protest, leading to chaos.

Meanwhile, the ruling PPM-PNC coalition has filed no-confidence motions against the Parliament’s Speaker Mohamed Aslam and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem, Sun.mv news website reported.

The ruling coalition have said that denying parliamentary approval to the cabinet will be tantamount to obstructing the services the government gives to citizens.