Qasim, Nasheed and Nazim to meet for talks

Former president Mohamed Nasheed, Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim, and Maldives National Party (MNP) leader Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim are set to meet for talks on Wednesday, to discuss a potential alliance for the upcoming presidential election.

A close aide to Qasim confirmed the meeting will take place at 01:30 pm on Wednesday at the JP headquarters in Male’ City.

“The specific reason for the meeting has yet to be disclosed. But everyone is preparing for the presidential election, right,” said the source.

The meeting between the three political leaders comes after Nazim and Qasim met for talks at the Villa Park Resort Maldives (formerly called Sun Island) on Tuesday.

After the meeting, Qasim said he had “high hopes” of reaching a partnership deal between JP and MNP for both the upcoming presidential election, as well as the parliamentary election next year.

After Nasheed and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih fell out earlier this year, Nasheed had pushed Qasim to contest the presidential election, stating that it was “the perfect opportunity” for the JP leader to get elected to office.  

They had engaged in talks, but relations between the two sides strained, soon after.

Qasim recently commented that Nasheed did not want anyone else to come to power.

Both Nazim and Qasim are their party’s candidates for the presidential election slated for September 9. Meanwhile, Nasheed is widely believed to contest the election on behalf of The Democrats – a new party formed from a breakaway faction of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Meanwhile, the country’s main opposition leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom needs to have the 11-year sentence against him for money laundering overturned in order to qualify for the election. His party, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) recently called for the election to be postponed until the High Court finishes hearing the appeal.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has been touring multiple islands in his re-election campaign. His party, the MDP has formed a coalition with the Adhaalath Party and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).