Mohamed Waheed consolidates power in Maldives: The Guardian

British newspaper The Guardian has reported that the Maldives parliament has approved the president's nominees for vice-president and the cabinet after a controversial transfer of power, and that this is a clear indication of President Mohamed Waheed's consolidation of power.

“The vote is a clear indication of President Mohamed Waheed's consolidation of power amid opposition allegations that he was part of a coup that unseated the Indian Ocean archipelago's former president, Mohamed Nasheed,” says The Guardian.

The article goes on to say, “Mohamed Waheed became President when Nasheed resigned after weeks of public protests and eroding support from the police and military. Nasheed, who became the Maldives' first democratically elected president in 2008 after 30 years of autocratic rule, claims he was forced to resign at gunpoint and has challenged Waheed to resign and order an immediate election.”

They also noted that Waheed said last week that an election will be held in July 2013, which is the earliest date allowed by the country’s Constitution.