Only 24 Maldives MPs attend People's Majlis, Prez Muizzu delivers address

Only 24 Maldives Members of Parliament (MPs) attended the opening sitting of the People's Majlis, where President Mohamed Muizzu delivered his first presidential address, Maldives-based online news outlet Adhadhu reported.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Democrats decided to boycott the sitting due to the "undemocratic ways of the government."

A total of 56 MPs boycotted the opening sitting. This includes 13 MPs from the Democrats and 44 MPs from the MDP.

Only 24 MPs were in attendance when the sitting began at 9:00 am.

MDP MP Speaker Mohamed Aslam chaired the sitting. He chaired the sitting despite calls by government MPs to recuse from presiding as a no-confidence motion has been moved against him, as per Adhadhu.

The government MPs have further moved a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem, who is also an MDP MP.

The opening on Monday was attended by Muizzu, first lady Sajidha Mohamed.

"President Dr @MMuizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed attend the opening of the People's Majlis for the year 2024, where the President delivers his first Presidential Address," the Maldives President's Office wrote on 'X'.

The president, while delivering his address, said he has decided not to appoint more people to senior political positions given the country's current economic and financial situation, Maldives media outlet Mihaaru reported.

Muizzu said the main reason for the deficit and the increase in debt is the sharp increase in the government's expenditure relative to revenue.

With that, he said, the government has been forced to take measures to reduce operating expenditures, as per Mihaaru.

He said: "I have decided not to appoint any more people to senior political positions except in exceptional circumstances in order to reduce government expenditure".