A parliamentary session in the Maldives turned chaotic as members of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) clashed with the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) over the approval of President Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet nominees. The brawl, which included intense physical altercations and disruptions, unfolded during a Sunday meeting.
The opposition MDP chose to withhold approval for four cabinet nominees, triggering a protest from the ruling coalition, consisting of PNC and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) members. Despite forming the government, the ruling coalition lacks a parliamentary majority, with the MDP still controlling the legislative body.
Government MPs resorted to disruptive measures, including blowing toy horns, attempting to prevent the speaker from addressing the session. The parliamentary chaos escalated further, with a viral video on social media capturing the intense brawl between Kanditheemu MP Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem and Kendhikulhudhoo MP Ahmed Easa.
The altercation involved shoving and physical confrontations, reaching a point where one person was held down with another’s knee. Security and additional individuals attempted to defuse the situation, resulting in a few minutes of intense turmoil before both sides eventually calmed down. Several individuals sustained minor injuries, including Hakeem, who was hospitalized for a head injury.
In a subsequent press conference on Sunday, the MDP defended Hakeem’s actions, describing them as acts of self-defense. To prevent further violence, microphones inside the parliament were removed to eliminate their potential use as weapons.
“The actions of pro-government MPs left MDP MPs with no other option than to act in self-defense. That is how any human will react in such a situation,” stated the MDP during the press conference.
