Maldives Supreme Court Bars Jailed Ex-President Yameen from Presidential Election

Last updated on August 7th, 2023 at 02:18 pm

A significant setback for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has been the recent confirmation by the Maldives Supreme Court that former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is ineligible to contest in the forthcoming September presidential election. The party, which wanted to see Yameen make a political comeback despite his December conviction for corruption and money laundering, had opposed his candidacy. This article examines the court’s ruling’s ramifications, the political environment around the PPM, and any prospective effects of the South Asian archipelago’s ties with its neighbours, namely India and China.

After losing the president in 2018, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s half-brother Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had been considering taking control of the Maldives. Due to his conviction for corruption and the controversy regarding bribes from a private corporation, while he was president, his political return effort was met with resistance. The court determined that Yameen did not meet the constitutional requirements for presidential candidates, excluding him from the campaign despite the Progressive Party’s attempts to contest the Election Commission’s decision to prohibit his candidacy.

The Maldives have become a focal point of contention between India and China for influence in the region due to their strategic location near vital maritime lanes in the Indian Ocean. Given India’s long-standing interest in upholding stability in its naval area, New Delhi has reservations about Yameen’s fight against Indian influence during his previous administration. It is unclear how the vote will affect regional power dynamics and the competing interests of India and China in the Maldives since Yameen can no longer run for president.

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The Progressive Party of the Maldives, which had chosen Yameen as its candidate before his conviction, has suffered a severe setback due to the ruling. The court affirmed the Election panel’s ruling, notwithstanding the party’s claims that the board erred in interpreting the constitutional requirements for presidential candidates. Yameen’s ineligibility has left the PPM without its desired candidate; therefore, the party may need to reevaluate its action plan and put another candidate for the presidency.

Despite internal strife in his party, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is running for re-election. The MDP broke in June due to a public spat between Solih and Mohamed Nasheed, another former president. Nasheed later established “The Democrats,” a new political party, and declared its candidate. The political environment in the Maldives is more complicated now that the PPM’s primary coalition partner is not running, and the campaign for president takes on new dimensions.

The Progressive Party of Maldives and its coalition allies have significantly suffered due to the Maldives Supreme Court’s decision disqualifying former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom from participating in the presidential election in September. Yameen’s withdrawal from the campaign will force the PPM to reevaluate its approach, and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih must deal with disagreements within his party. Given the strategic significance of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, the next election will be closely observed not only within the Maldives but also by other nations like India and China.