The Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) has decided to form a coalition with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the upcoming presidential election.
The MDA council decided to form a coalition with the main-ruling MDP with the vote of the majority of the council.
MDA said it decided to form a coalition with the MDP to give President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih an additional presidential term for the benefit of the people and to establish political stability in the country.
MDA's decision to form a coalition with MDP comes while the party's leader, Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, had worked towards contesting the September presidential election. However, in a statement submitted to the MDA council meeting last Wednesday, Siyam said he had decided against contesting the presidential election in the best interest of the country and its people based on the country's current situation. Instead, he had proposed to form a coalition with a party contesting the presidential election. While the MDA council accepted the proposition and passed the motion the same day, the party on Friday held discussions regarding the election with MDP.
Current coalition partner, Adhaalath Party, has also announced it would back President Solih in the upcoming election. However, the remaining coalition partners, Jumhooree Party, and MRM, are yet to make a decision on the matter.
