Former President Mohamed Nasheed has officially rejoined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) two years after parting ways with the party over internal differences with then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Nasheed’s return was marked by a special rally held at Sultan Park on Monday night, where he was warmly welcomed by party members and supporters.

Alongside him, several of his loyalists, who had previously left the MDP to form a separate political movement, The Democrats also rejoined the party.

Expressing his joy at returning, Nasheed said,

He extended heartfelt thanks to MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, Party President Abdulla Shahid, and members of the party’s National Assembly for the warm reception.

However, noticeably absent from his acknowledgements was former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who currently serves as an advisor to the party.

Solih did not attend the rally and is currently out of the country.

In his address, Nasheed reaffirmed his commitment to the MDP’s ideals, saying the party has always stood for the welfare of the people. 

He said that there is no other party in the Maldives that strives to bring happiness to the people as much as the MDP.

He further warned of looming economic challenges, particularly the USD 2 billion in external debt repayments due next year.

He added that the economy has stalled and all the government is doing is paying salaries.

He urged the public to support the MDP in addressing the pressing financial issues.

emphasizing the MDP’s capability to lead the nation out of economic difficulty.