Nationwide demonstration held to urge for constitutional reform, Passes off peacefully

Demonstrations calling for constitutional reform took place yesterday across the country, passing off peacefully. The MDP National Council resolved to hold the protests following the DRP boycott of Special Majlis meetings and in support of setting the voting age for the upcoming constitutional referendum at 18.

Several thousand people gathered in Male’ to hear speeches given by the MDP leadership and youth members. Demonstrations took place in islands across the country.

Constitutional reform has been slowed by the DRP and Presidential appointees boycotting numerous sessions of the Special Majlis. When eventually pressured to attend the Majlis, the Speaker did not allow for a debate on the voting age for the upcoming referendum on the country’s system of government.

Avoiding a debate on this issue contravened both the Majlis rules of procedure and the advice of the Majlis Administrative Committee made up of ten DRP MPs and one independent MP, who recommended that such a debate be allowed.

The MDP advocates for a parliamentary system of government and for the voting age for the referendum to be 18, in line with international norms, the age of adulthood as defined in Maldivian legislation, and the draft constitution. The DRP promotes a presidential system and maintains that the age should be 21, fearing that the 18-21 age group will vote against them. While the Special Majlis has the power to decide the terms of its own referendum – including what the voting age should be – the DRP argue that rules governing referenda organised by the President should apply.

MDP Acting President Ibrahim Hussain Zaki said:

“There are at least 23,000 people aged between 18 and 21 in this country who the government is trying to disenfranchise.

“In all other respects these people are considered adults by the state. You can’t say one minute that you want people to act as responsible adults and the next minute patronise them and say they can’t vote.

“We are a young country and these people are our future. We must allow them to take part in the democratic debate.

“By blocking even a debate on this issue, the government is only slowing the process of constitutional reform. We need to move ahead quickly with a referendum where all adults can vote so that the constitution can finally be amended.