Maldives' Democrats party prez resigns, leaders return to parent party

Hassan Latheef, president of The Democrats, a major opposition party of Maldives, resigned on Saturday while a few senior leaders returned to their parent party.

While Latheef has resigned from the post, Democrats senior members Hussain Amru, Ali Azim and Mohamed Shifaz have switched to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), news portal Edition.mv said here.

"I resigned because I believe it is very important at this time," he told Mihaaru News, Editions' sister publication.

A senior official of The Democrats told the Sun.mv news portal that though Hassan has resigned from the party's leadership role, it is uncertain if he has exited the party entirely.

The Democrats party was formed after some members broke away from the MDP following a rift ahead of the September 2023 presidential elections.

One faction of the MDP continued allegiance to then President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih --- who is seen as a strong Indian ally and had lost his bid for re-election to Mohamed Muizzu.

The other faction that went behind another former President Mohamed Nasheed, formed The Democrats.

In 2024, Nasheed took charge as the Secretary-General of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), an international partnership of 68 countries highly vulnerable to a warming planet.

Activities of The Democrats have stagnated as of late, while the party faced defeat without securing a single seat at the most recent parliamentary election as well, Sun.mv news portal said.