Mohamed Nasheed

Mohamed Nasheed (Dhivehi: މުހައްމަދު ނަޝީދު; born 17 May 1967), also known as Anni (Dhivehi: އަންނި), is a Maldivian politician and activist who served as the fourth president of the Maldives from 2008 until his controversial resignation in 2012. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he subsequently served as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis from 2019 until his resignation in 2023. He is the first democratically elected president of the Maldives and the only president to resign from office.

Born in Malé, Nasheed was educated overseas before returning to the Maldives and becoming involved in political activism. He was first elected to Parliament in 1999 but was later removed from office, and was arrested and imprisoned several times during his early career. His arrest in 2005 prompted civil unrest. In the first round of the 2008 presidential election, he won 25% of the votes and later defeated incumbent President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

As the President, Nasheed played a role in drawing international attention to the threat of climate change to the Maldives. His government focused on anti-corruption measures, free healthcare, political and press freedom.

On 7 February 2012, Nasheed resigned amidst a political crisis. Protests by the opposition began after he allegedly ordered the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed. Nasheed characterised the circumstances of his resignation as a coup d'état. His successor, Mohamed Waheed Hassan, disputed this, saying the process was constitutional, which a Commission of National Inquiry confirmed.

Nasheed unsuccessfully ran for the presidency in 2013. In 2015, Nasheed was convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Act for ordering the arrest of Mohamed and sentenced to 13 years at Maafushi Prison. Nasheed was later granted asylum by the UK government in 2016 after he went there for medical treatment.

In November 2018, the Supreme Court overturned his conviction following Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's win in the 2018 presidential election. Nasheed returned to the Maldives and was elected to the parliament in 2019 for the Central Mahchangolhi constituency, subsequently taking office as the Speaker of the People's Majlis.