President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Fonadhoo MP-elect Abdul Raheem Abdullah for the position of Speaker and Ahmed Nazim for Deputy Speaker of the 20th Parliament.
The proposal was made during a meeting at the presidential residence, Muleeaage, attended by ruling PNC MPs, ministers, heads of state-owned companies, and senior leaders from PNC and PPM. The discussions focused on nominations for the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the ruling PNC Parliamentary Group, and other senior parliamentary posts.
Abdul Raheem, currently serving as Special Advisor to the President, has previously served two terms as the Fonadhoo MP. Nazim has previously represented Meemu Atoll and Dhiggaru constituency in the Parliament and also served as Deputy Speaker.
In the parliamentary election held on April 21, MPs were elected to 93 seats, with the ruling party securing a supermajority of 66 seats. Since then, eight out of eleven MPs who won as independent candidates have joined the ruling party, increasing their total to 74. In addition, Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim, Maldives National Party Leader Mohamed Nazim, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) leader Ahmed Siyam, all three of whom won seats in the new Parliament, as well as Ahmed Abbas, who won the Velidhoo seat on MDA ticket, are also aligned with the government. The opposing MDP secured only 12 seats in the 20th Parliament.
The next 20th Parliament will be sworn in on the 28th of this month.
