DRP to propose Shahid as Majlis Speaker, Nazim as Deputy Speaker

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has decided to propose the name of the party’s council member Abdulla Shahid as the Speaker for the People’s Majlis. The country’s biggest opposition party will also propose the name of People’s Alliance’s Vice President Ahmed Nazim for the post of the Deputy Speaker. The People’s Majlis is to convene for its first sitting on 28th of this month.

The DRP made the decision at the first meeting of their parliamentary group held last Wednesday. The spokesperson for the party, Mohamed Saleem, said that the names were endorsed unanimously by the party‘s parliamentary group and that Nazim’s name was proposed as the Deputy Speaker because the PA had formed a coalition with the DRP during the parliamentary elections held on 9 May. He further said that the party’s Deputy Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali had been endorsed unanimously as the DRP’s parliamentary group leader at the meeting.

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had also taken part in the DRP’s first parliamentary group meeting.

The DRP/PA coalition had won 35 seats during the parliamentary elections, with DRP taking 28 seats and PA securing seven.