Former President Mohamed Nasheed has announced his intention to contest for the chairmanship of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), while endorsing former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail as the party’s candidate for Head of Government.

Speaking at a press conference titled “Bodu Badhalu” (Big Change) held on Sunday, Nasheed and Fayyaz outlined a proposal for sweeping constitutional reforms aimed at restructuring the Maldives’ system of governance.

Central to their proposal is the creation of two distinct leadership roles, a Head of State and a Head of Government.

Unlike a traditional parliamentary model, however, the proposed hybrid system would see both positions filled through direct public vote.

Nasheed expressed his support for Fayyaz to assume the role of Head of Government, while indicating his own interest in serving as Head of State under the proposed framework.

Responding to a question from journalists regarding his potential role in a future administration, Nasheed reiterated his interest in taking on the position of Head of State, should the proposed system be adopted

He emphasized that the proposed reforms should not be delayed until 2028, urging the current administration to initiate discussions and begin implementation at the earliest opportunity.