Progressive Party of the Maldives registered

Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), a new political party formed by the former President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom, was registered at the Elections Commission of the Maldives yesterday.

In a special ceremony held at the Elections Commission office yesterday, the Registry of the youngest political party of the country was handed over to Faarish Maumoon, its Interim Council Member and son of founder Maumoon. The Registry was handed over to the Party by Fuad Taufeeq, President of the Elections Commission.

In his speech at the ceremony, EC President Fuad stated that the Constitution of PPM addressed all the issues to be addressed in a political party constitution very well, and he expressed hope that PPM would work in accordance with the country’s Constitution to secure the rights and interests of the Maldivian people.

Speaking after the ceremony, Ahmed Mahloof, Interim Spokesperson of PPM, said that the registration of the party was the first official step in defeating the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the upcoming 2013 presidential elections.

“Our party shall work within the laws of this country, and in accord with the Regulation of Political Parties. We shall help the formation of other political parties, and we have now taken the first official step in beating President Nasheed’s MDP government”, said Mahloof.

PPM Council Member and MP for Vaikaradhoo Constituency Ali Arif also spoke to the press after the ceremony, and assured that the party would be pursuing benefits for the people in everything.

PPM registration forms were submitted to the Elections Commissions on the 5th of last month, and the permission to carry out the necessary processes of formation was given on the 11th of the same month.

According to PPM, it has been registered with approximately 3200 people, although the party reportedly has a much larger number of members who are still to be officially registered at the Elections Commission as party members.

The new party PPM is seen as the rising major opposition in the Maldives with the most prominent opposition leaders gradually flocking under the party’s flag. It was PPM Founder Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom who had previously founded the Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) as well, which has up to now being the major opposition and second largest party in the country. After Maumoon retired from politics following the 2008 presidential elections, DRP’s leadership was entrusted by Maumoon himself to Ahmed Tasmin Ali.

However, Maumoon and his close associates within DRP started to criticize Tasmin’s leadership months ago, after allegations that Tasmin was working with the ruling party in secret surfaced. Maumoon and his supporters decided to part ways with DRP and form a new party only months ago, after irreconcilable differences between his supporters and Tasmin resulted in the formation of two opposed factions within DRP. Maumoon and his supporters decided to form a new party, which is now realized as PPM.