Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom met with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to discuss the issues within the ruling coalition.
Maumoon is key leader of the four-part coalition between Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Jumhooree Party (JP) and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party.
Following the meeting, Maumoon revealed in a tweet that both leaders had come to several understandings and agreements regarding the coalition, and discussed ways straightening the weakened coalition during the meeting.
Just ahead of the parliamentary election, a lot of friction existed between the coalition partners, with the relationship between main ruling MDP and JP especially strained over disagreements on how to tackle the parliamentary election as a coalition. Finally, JP leader Gasim Ibrahim formed an alliance with opposing opposing Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) for the parliamentary election despite resistance from his party's key members.
While MDP secured super majority in a landslide victory, the remaining coalition partners suffered defeat in the election, with only a single candidate endorsed by Maumoon winning a seat, and Adhaalath failing to secure a place in the parliament. Jumhooree Party was able to win only five seats.
Maumoon had recently attributed his defeat to 'negative influences that had effected the election'. He had also criticized President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for not fulfilling the promise to restore PPM ownership to its 'rightful owners'. A dispute between Maumoon and his half brother former president Yameen Abdul Gayyoom had earlier led the ownership of PPM to be questioned, with the courts ruling in Yameen's favor.
