Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has stated that Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) should not be talking about the 2023 Presidential Primary without taking a vote on the ruling system, as it was one of their pledges to change the system to a parliamentary system.

Answering a question during the sixth program of "Ask Speaker" on whether he would contend in the MDP Presidential Primary, Nasheed stated that one of the pivotal pledges in the 2018 manifesto by MDP was taking a referendum on public opinion on changing the ruling system in the Maldives to that of a parliamentary system.

He further added that Maumoon Reform Movement (MRM) and Adhaalath Party (AP) who joined the coalition with MDP had supported the pledge, hence he stated that MDP should not even be talking about the 2023 presidential primary without holding the referendum.

While President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has expressed his interest in contending at the MDP Presidential Primary, Speaker Nasheed had announced that he will be contending, and has been making the necessary arrangements.