Meekail Ahmed Naseem
Meekail Ahmed Naseem | |
|---|---|
މީކާއީލު އަޙްމަދު ނަސީމް | |
| Member of the People's Majlis | |
| Assumed office 28 May 2019 | |
| President | Ibrahim Mohamed Solih Mohamed Muizzu |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Mahloof |
| Constituency | South Galolhu |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Maldivian Democratic Party |
| Education | Magdalene College (BA) University of Bath (MA) |
| Signature |  |
Meekail Ahmed Naseem (Dhivehi: މީކާއީލު އަޙްމަދު ނަސީމް) is a Maldivian politician who is currently serving as the Member of the People's Majlis for the South Galolhu constituenecy since 2019. A member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he served as the president of the party's youth wing. He is the youngest politician to serve as a member of parliament.
Early life
Naseem attended Jamaluddin School and later Dharumavantha School.[1][2] He received a scholarship from the Maldivian government which was revoked and fully scrapped following Naseem's speech in 2012, where he spoke about the controversial transfer of power.[2] He was expelled from Villa International High School due to conflicting political beliefs with their headmaster.[2] He later received the Cambridge-Commonwealth Scholarship in 2015 where he went to Magdalene College and obtained his bachelor's degree in politics, psychology, and sociology.[1] He also received the Chevening Scholarship and attended the University of Bath where he received his master's degree in international relations.[1]
Career
Naseem was elected as the President of the Maldivian Democratic Party's youth wing in 2017.[1]
Originally, Naseem planned to run at the latest in the 2024 parliametary election, however he spontaneously ran in the 2019 parliamentary election for South Galolhu.[2] He's commented on his difficulties to gather votes as there was stigma around his young age and that he wasn't "Galolhu enough" to run.[2] He ran in the party primaries, where he later won. He ran in the election and won with 1115 votes.[3]
During his time as an MP in the 19th People's Majlis, he amended the Sexual Offences Act to reduce evidence needed against victimes to reduce chances of rapists avoiding conviction,[4] amended the Maldivian Land Act to award land plots to recipients from the state with a duration of six months,[5] filed an emergency motion regarding the Maldives Correctional Services' decision to allow former vice president Ahmed Adeeb to travel abroad.[6]
Naseem was also the Vice Chairperson for the Committee on Independent Institutions, member of the Committee of the Whole House, and the Government Oversight Committee.[7][8][9]
In 2024, Naseem ran in that year's parliamentary election for South Galolhu and won with 1092 votes.[10]
During his tenure as the South Galolhu MP in the 20th People's Majlis, Naseem submitted a bill banning Israeli passport holders to entering the Maldives due to the genocidal war in Gaza,[11] he submitted a bill to repeal the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act as it undermines rights by placing restrictions on gatherings,[12] a resolution submitted against Public Service Media accusing them of discriminating against political parties.[13]
Naseem was kicked out of the parliament building in separate occasions. In February 2025, he was kicked out after protesting not to hold parliamentary elections and presidential elections on the same day.[14] In August, Naseem accusing then Foreign minister Abdulla Khaleel after he accused him of dodging questions, later Majlis speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla named him and he was forced to leave.[15] In September, MDP MPs staged protests on the Majlis floor during the reading of the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, many were kicked out including Naseem.[16]
In 2026, he ran for the election of chairperson of the Maldivian Democraitc Party.[17] He lost to Mohamed Nasheed and congratulated him on a phone call.[18]
Controversy
In 2025, Naseem landed in a controversy after a post honouring him by Jamaluddin School was deleted, reportedly on the orders of the Ministry of Education.[1] The school denied the claim and said that the deletion due to Naseem's unacceptable behaviour.[19]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Jamaluddin accused of deleting post honoring MP Meekail on ministry's orders". Sun. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Rasheed, Lujine (15 July 2026). "Red, Green, White. Mickail defeats the plight!". The Edition. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Parliamentary Election 2019 Statistics - Result". Elections Commission. Retrieved 24 July 2026. Go to the "Results" tab and search for "Meekail Ahmed Nasym"
- ↑ Mohamed, Shahudha (29 June 2020). "MP Meekail proposes to scrap parts of Sexual Offences Act". The Edition. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Mohamed, Mariyath (7 February 2024). "Amendment submitted stipulating land plots to be granted within six months". The Edition. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Shaahunaz, Fathmath (12 June 2019). "Emergency motion to parliament over Adeeb travelling abroad". The Edition. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "19th Committee on Independent Institutions". People's Majlis. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "19th Committee of the Whole House". People's Majlis. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "19th Government Oversight Committee". People's Majlis. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Parliamentary Election 2024 Statistics - Results". Elections Commission. Retrieved 24 July 2026. Go to the "Results" tab and search "Meekail Ahmed Nasym"
- ↑ Mohamed, Mariyath (31 May 2024). "MDP submits bill to parliament calling to ban Israeli passports". The Edition. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Zalif, Zunana (3 November 2025). "Bill submitted to repeal freedom of peaceful assembly act". Raajje TV. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Shuaib, Shama (4 May 2026). "Parliament rejects resolution over PSM's alleged discrimination and failure to provide equal coverage to MDP". Raajje TV. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Parliament sitting paused to clear out protesting MDP lawmakers". Sun. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "MP Meekail accuses FM Khaleel of dodging questions on Saudi 'prince', gets expelled from Parliament chamber". Sun. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Parliament Approved Media Regulation Bill Amid Protests". MV+. 16 September 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Hameed, Shafaa (29 April 2026). "Q&A with Meekail Naseem, the 32-year-old pitching himself as MDP's neutral broker". Maldives Independent. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Nasheed swept MDP chairpersonship election with 69% votes". Sun. 13 June 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Mohamed, Naizak (7 February 2025). "JS: Meekail's post deleted not due to pressure from Ministry, but due to unacceptable behavior". Sun. Retrieved 24 July 2026.