The Maldivian Democratic Party calls for the immediate resignation of Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik and the establishment of a transitional power arrangement.

Preliminary results issued following last week’s first round of Presidential elections show that Dr. Waheed received only 5.1% of the vote, confirming that his administration which came into being in illegitimate circumstances has also clearly made no further grounds in legitimacy in the preceding 19 months. An incumbent President, being able to garner a mere 5.1% of votes in a general election which had over an 89% turnout is further proof to the claim that Dr. Waheed has no mandate over the State and citizens of the Maldives.

The MDP expresses concern over the fact that an individual with such little support from the electorate continues to exercise the powers of a President as guaranteed by the constitution. This includes the appointing of Cabinet members, a Commissioner of Police, members to independent commissions such as the Judicial Service Commission, and the spending of state finances.

Thus, the MDP calls for the immediate resignation of Dr. Waheed, and the establishment of a transitional arrangement to ensure that it is elections which represent the will of the Maldivian people and not the arbitrary actions of those who have no legal or electoral mandate.