Shahid wins MDP leadership uncontested

Former Foreign Ministry Abdulla Shahid has been elected main opposition MDP’s leader as no additional individuals had filed candidacy for the election at the expiration of the deadline.

MDP announced they will be holding the election to elect a new leader on March 2^nd – instructing interested members to file their candidacy forms before 2:00pm on Tuesday, February 20^th.

At the expiration of the deadline, only Shahid had filed candidacy for the post.

According to the Articles of Association of the party, if only one person files candidacy for the post of the party’s leader, they will be automatically elected for the post. Therewith, MDP has announced Shahid’s election as the party’s leader.

The post of MDP’s leader became vacant following the resignation of former president Mohamed Nasheed on June 21, 2023. The party’s National Council had appointed former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to serve as interim leader in the meantime.

Shahid entered politics via former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’s Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (MDP). He left the party and joined MDP following the end of Maumoon’s 30-year administration. Having served MDP since then, Shahid held the post of Foreign Minister during the party’s latest administration. During his tenure as the Foreign Minister, Shahid was also elected the president of the United Nations General Assembly.

MDP was unofficially incepted in 2003 and registered after the new constitution came into force in 2005. The first leader of the party was Ibrahim Ismail (Ibura). The post was later filled by former attorney general Dr. Mohamed Munawwar and former Fisheries Minister Dr. Ibrahim Didi.

Former president Nasheed, who held the post for the longest period, resigned from the party last year following internal conflicts with Solih. He has since formed a new political party.