New Maldives - Open Clash With Gayoom

Open Clash With Gayoom

The breach between Gayoom and the New Maldives began to become visible by 10 December 2006, when the Attorney-General declared that the Roadmap was being used to introduce only paper reforms. This breach became wider when he further called on the Chief Justice to choose between executive functions and judicial functions in a speech given in January 2007. The breach between the New Maldives and Gayoom intensified as the date for the referendum on a future system of government approached. New Maldives favoured a presidential system with two-term limitation and clear separation of powers while Gayoom and Yameen favoured a prime ministerial system that would enable Gayoom to seek re-election. Finally, by July 2007, Shaheed openly accused Gayoom of manipulating and corrupting the parliament for his personal gain while Saeed and Jameel resigned to protest over Gayoom’s attempts to obstruct the reform roadmap.