Tussle for supremacy
The power struggle between President Mohamed Nasheed and the opposition-led parliament in the Maldives has resulted in a political deadlock, with the government alleging that the parliament is constantly trying to hinder its work by encroaching on its constitutional powers, and opposition members of parliament (MP) claiming that the parliament is ´forced´ to do this because of the president's 'deceptive and unlawful' policies and actions.
The background for this comes from the political developments over the past few years. A comprehensive constitution that enshrines holistic democratic changes was ratified on 7 August 2008. The constitution allowed for the separation of powers for the first time in the history of the Maldives. Multi-party presidential elections took place soon after, and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) came to power on 11 November 2008 through a coalition effort, ending the 30-year-reign of former president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
The parliamentary election in May the following year resulted in the Dhivehi Rayyethuge Party (DRP) partnering with the People's Alliance (PA) to form the opposition in parliament with the help of some independents. The MDP has 28 MPs and the support of four independent MPs in the 77-member parliament.