On Tuesday, the Parliament elected Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla, commonly known as Adhurey, as the new Speaker, and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim as the new Deputy Speaker.

The ceremony began at 9:00 am with the 93 newly elected members of the 20th parliamentary assembly taking their oaths of office, administered by Chief Justice Muthasim Adnan.

These members were chosen in a tightly contested election on April 21, where the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) secured a significant victory.

The inaugural session commenced at 10:15 am, overseen by Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed.

During this session, the members selected the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker through a secret ballot.

The PNC nominated Abdul Raheem for Speaker and Nazim for Deputy Speaker, following the recommendations of the party's leader, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

In contrast, the main opposition, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), proposed South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil for Speaker and Maradhoo MP Ahmed Didi for Deputy Speaker.

Abdul Raheem secured the Speaker position with 71 votes, while Nazil received 14 votes.

Seven votes were deemed invalid, and Siyam abstained from voting.

Abdul Raheem has previously served two terms in the 17th and 18th parliamentary assemblies and is currently the chairperson of the PNC.

Ahmed Nazim was elected as Deputy Speaker with 80 votes, defeating MDP’s Didi, who garnered 12 votes.

Unlike the Speaker vote, all votes in this round were valid, and Siyam again chose not to vote.

Nazim, who has also served two terms and was Deputy Speaker in the 18th parliamentary assembly, had lost his seat following a corruption conviction and a 25-year prison sentence, which was later overturned on appeal.

The PNC now holds a supermajority in the new parliamentary assembly with 75 out of 93 seats.

The MDP, which had a significant majority in the previous assembly, won only 12 seats in the recent elections.