Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said that despite his increasingly sharp criticism of the current administration, he would still choose President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu over the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in a direct political comparison.
Yameen made the remarks during one of the People’s National Front (PNF) gatherings held regularly at his residence, where much of his address was focused on criticising President Muizzu.
However, while drawing a comparison with the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Yameen made clear that his preference would remain with Muizzu rather than a return of the MDP to power.
“I am referring to a direct comparison here. The alternative would be going back to Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Any time of the day, any time of the year, I would choose Muizzu over MDP,” Yameen said.
He went on to accuse the MDP of failing to uphold basic democratic principles during its time in government.
During a recent interview with Sangu TV, Yameen said the Solih administration had imprisoned him and ultimately prevented him from contesting the 2023 presidential election. He expressed confidence that the situation would be different in the next election and said he expects his name to appear on the ballot in 2028.
Yameen’s latest remarks also come against the backdrop of his unusual cooperation with two of his former political rivals, former Presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
In May, Yameen, Nasheed and Solih held talks and agreed to cooperate on issues including press freedom and government accountability. The discussions marked a rare political alignment between three former presidents who have spent much of their careers on opposing sides of Maldivian politics.
Yameen had earlier said he was prepared to work with Nasheed and Solih specifically in defence of press freedom, describing restrictions against journalists as unacceptable.
Their cooperation later developed under the name “United Democratic Front”, although questions have since emerged over the extent to which the three former leaders continue to coordinate their political activities.
Yameen’s latest comments therefore underline a distinction in his current political position: while he remains critical of Muizzu’s administration and intends to challenge the President politically, he continues to place the ruling Muizzu leadership ahead of the MDP when presented with a choice between the two.
