Ahmed Thasmeen Ali

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Ahmed Thasmeen Ali bigraphy, stories - Maldivan politician

Ahmed Thasmeen Ali : biography

1966 –

Ahmed Thasmeen Ali (born 1966; ), leader of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party is a Maldivian MP, philanthropist and a businessman. Thasmeen started his career as a civil servant and after venturing into politics he was elected to Peoples Majlis from Baa Atoll and later he served in Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s cabinet and was his running mate in the first multiparty election held in the Maldives in 2008.

His first Cabinet portfolio was Minister of Atolls Development and later served as Minister of Home Affairs,(14 July 2005 – 25 June 2007).

He is the current leader of the opposition political party, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, and was, until May 2012,

Minority Leader in the Peoples Majlis Majlis of the Maldives. 

Political positions

  • Supported to streamline the civil service and supported civil service bill in the parliament.
  • Advocated to pass the media bill by the parliament and criticized the government of suppressing media.
  • A month before President Nasheed’s resignation Thasmeen described Nasheed saying ‘who claims to be the vanguard of democracy is becoming more and more despotic’.
  • Thasmeen scolded President Nasheed’s government’s violent demonstrations and corrupt practices describing than ruling party as “drenched in corruption”
  • Criticized the government of exerting political influence upon Maldives Police service and asked the officers not to obey the unlawful orders issued by the high command and not erode the aspirations of Maldives’ reformers.
  • Thasmeen criticized Mohamed Nasheed’s government of transgressing upon the values of democracy and causing intimidation against state institutes.
  • Thasmeen criticized the government’s failure in strengthening the economy and scaring foreign investors and eroding business confidence.
  • In his Islamic New Year Statement Thasmeen said that President Nasheed’s government has promoted aniti-Islamic ideology for the past three years.
  • Thasmeen defeated a no confidence motion against President Nasheed which was initiated by 47 MPs in October 2011.
  • Thasmeen criticized PPM of following a political system which follows personalities instead of democratic rule.
  • Thasmeen criticized President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for going against DRP charter.
  • After party in-fighting Thasmeen asked anti-party elements to resign from party if they act against party charter.
  • Thasmeen called government to support for a Palestinian state.
  • Raised concerns against Nasheed’s government’s fiscal and economic reform program.

Party to new heights

During Thasmeen’s leadership he took DRP to a new height. Though DRP was defeated in the 2008 presidential election he managed to increase the party membership and made gains in the parliamentary election and local elections.

With Thasmeen at the helm DRP secured more seats in the parliament than Nasheed’s ruling MDP. This is a major victory to DRP, especially since this came during the honeymoon period of the new government.

During the split of the party there was much criticism leveled to Mr. Thasmeen by Gayoom supporters accusing Thasmeen of the 2008 defeat. However, DRP issued a statement reflecting of the past success in elections under Thasmeen saying “we note with regret that the party was unable to win a single election under President Maumoon’s leadership when it was in the government.”

“One of the main reasons for DRP having to face one of its biggest defeats (2008 Presidential Election) and MDP coming to power and causing despair for most citizens was the fact that the whole presidential campaign was run by Gayoom’s eldest son Farish Maumoon as a family matter,” said DRP statement. However, the gains DRP made in the parliamentary election did not last long. With the internal conflict it took a toll on party in terms on numbers in the parliament and Gayoom formed a new political party. With the formation of PPM, DRP accused PPM of poaching members and later in the parliament it paved way for President Nasheed’s MDP to gain majority on the floor.