Opposition lawmakers on Monday remained persistent in their efforts to unseat the parliament speaker vowing to re-file a fresh censure motion despite a major set-back orchestrated by the government.
Immediately after the parliament passed a government proposed amendment to the parliament rules of procedure raising the number of lawmaker signatures required to file a censure motion against the speaker and his deputy from 15 to 42, lawmakers from the now opposition coalition refused to admit that the amendment was a setback.
Solih further expressed confidence that the opposition would garner the required 42 signatures needed to file a fresh no-confidence motion.
"The constitution clearly states that only a simple parliament majority is required to oust the speaker. So to mandate 42 signatures to just file the motion is ridiculous and blatantly unconstitutional," Solih said.
Former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s lawmaker son Faris Maumoon said the amendment was further proof that the government was continuously bleeding parliament majority.
"The reasons behind this amendment is quite obvious and simple. President Yameen does not trust the government coalition lawmakers. He doesn't know which MPs are going to go rouge. So with this amendment if the no-confidence is signed by individual lawmakers, he would know weeks in advance," the Dhiggaru MP explained.
Faris also said the amendment would now allow president Yameen to reprimand any government lawmakers who dares to back the censure motion.
"We knew before we set out that this won't be easy. But we knew we will succeed. It's taking time but we will succeed," he added.
Solih further expressed confidence that the opposition would garner the required 42 signatures needed to file a fresh no-confidence motion.
The amendment designed to come into effect immediately has nullified the impending censure motions against the speaker and his deputy.
The country has plunged into fresh political strife after the main opposition leaders penned a historic treaty against the government.
United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) have become the latest to join the chorus of international scrutiny Maldives has been facing since the failed censure motion against Maseeh.
But the backlash from the failed attempt to unseat the speaker has led to several key opposition figures being questioned by police over various allegations while opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim was arrested on Thursday.
The business magnate had been taken into custody over recent allegations of bribing fellow lawmakers and making incitements to overthrow the government.
He has since been remanded for six days.
Most of the island nation's international partners have all echoed the call to find political common-ground among the ruling parties and the opposition.
