No-confidence vote: roundup of reactions

After 13 opposition MPs were forcibly expelled from the chamber, 48 ruling coalition lawmakers stood up and said No to removing Maseeh in a roll call vote.

The opposition alliance cried foul and western democracies expressed concern with “irregularities” but the government insisted that the vote was “free, fair, and transparent.”

A day after the vote, the United States embassy released a statement expressing concern about “irregularities ‎that impeded a free and fair vote in the Maldives Parliament on March 27.”

The British embassy echoed concerns over “irregularities surrounding the vote”.

The delegation of the European Union to the Maldives said in a tweet that the Maldivian government “must reassure people that democratic procedures in the constitution will be respected, including parliamentary rules.”

Canadian Ambassador Shelly Whiting tweeted: “Parliaments function by a system of rules with procedural safeguards and fundamental principles of democratic discussion. When these systems fail or are abused, democracies are the weaker for it and citizens therein done a grave disservice.”

The German embassy joined the chorus of concern on Friday.

The government, however, was adamant that the vote was free and fair.

On Thursday, Fisheries Minister Dr Mohamed Shainee urged the international community to “observe clearly the intricacies of the laws of the land in the Maldives as it relates to a free, fair and transparent vote, such as was taken on that day, before rushing to judgement.”

The key issue of contention over the no-confidence motion was the decision to conduct voting through a roll call vote, where each MP was asked individually to stand up and declare his or her stance, instead of the normal voting through the electronic system.

Deputy Speaker ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, who presided over proceedings, told state media after the sitting that there are no grounds to question the legality of the roll call vote.

The proposal for a roll call vote was made by Majority Leader Ahmed Nihan and approved with 45 votes in favour. The proposal was put to a vote through the electronic system and the results sheet showed that jailed MP Ahmed Mahloof and the presiding deputy speaker participated in the vote.

Opposition MP Ahmed Marzooq was also recorded as having voted in favour but he reportedly denied participating in the vote. Most opposition lawmakers were on their feet in protest when the voting took place.

But the deputy speaker insisted that he followed the parliamentary rules of procedure in calling a vote on Nihan’s proposal.

Moosa also vowed to conduct an investigation using the Majlis security camera footage.

Speaking to reporters after the vote, Nihan, the parliamentary group leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives, meanwhile contended that a roll call vote is the “best practice” on important matters.

“My question is opposition MPs who were very confident and said so openly, why did they not attend the roll call? If they knew they can win, why not stay in the chamber? Just like we said no to the motion they could have said yes,” he said.

Nihan also dismissed allegations about intimidation and coercion of pro-government lawmakers.

Referring to MP Mohamed Ameeth, who joined the opposition MPs in walking out before the vote, Nihan said: “Who threatened him till last night? Why should MPs be afraid? Its something being spun by opposition. That MPs are being threatened and blackmailed. MPs who didn’t have confidence, haven’t they left [PPM]?”

The opposition alliance meanwhile denounced the forced removal of 13 MPs, who were “manhandled, dragged and disproportionate force was used to forcefully move them out of the chambers by the military.”