A report by the U.S. newspaper The Washington Post has revealed that several lawmakers from the main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), switched sides to the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) in exchange for bribes from President Muizzu.
The political landscape in the Maldives was already tense when 13 MDP lawmakers joined PNC, with accusations that the government was using large sums of money to lure parliamentarians. Despite the accusations, the government consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The sudden shift of several MDP members caused a drop in the party’s parliamentary strength, from 55 seats to 42. The Washington Post report indicates that President Muizzu had received information about an attempt to remove him from office and took action to prevent it. In response, he allegedly instructed two loyal members to offer bribes of around USD 200,000 to MDP lawmakers in exchange for switching their allegiance to the PNC. According to three PNC-affiliated sources, Muizzu was able to secure the defection of 11 MDP lawmakers through this method, which significantly weakened the opposition’s ability to carry out a no-confidence motion against him.
The newspaper also highlighted another troubling issue, revealing that President Muizzu had directed his supporters to launch a campaign on social media attacking neighboring India and its leaders. This move was reportedly fueled by Muizzu’s anger over the political situation.
In addition, The Washington Post reported that the MDP and the newly formed Democrats party had planned the no-confidence motion against Muizzu, but MDP leadership hesitated to push forward. The hesitation stemmed from concerns that the Supreme Court or Muizzu’s supporters in the military could interfere with the process. There were also worries that moving forward with the motion could alienate voters who supported Muizzu in the 2023 presidential election.
Financial difficulties further complicated the situation. While many MPs were willing to vote against Muizzu, they demanded bribes in return. At the time, MDP was nearly bankrupt following the presidential election and couldn’t afford to meet these demands. Attempts to secure funds from India to support the no-confidence motion were unsuccessful.
