Vice President of the Maldives facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vice President of the Republic of Maldives
Flag of Maldives
State Emblem of Maldives
Incumbent Hussain Mohamed Latheef since 17 November 2023
Residence	Hilaaleege Malé
Appointer	President of Maldives
Term length	Five years, renewable
Inaugural holder	Ibrahim Muhammad Didi
Salary	MVR 93,000/US$6059 monthly

The Vice President of the Republic of Maldives is a very important person in the country's government. They are the second-highest official, right after the president of the Maldives. Think of them as the President's main helper.

The Vice President is chosen by the people in an election, at the same time as the President. They serve for five years. If something happens to the President, like if they resign or can no longer do their job, the Vice President steps in to become the new President.

The first person to hold this job was Ibrahim Muhammad Didi. He was chosen by the President back then. Later, Mohammed Waheed Hassan became the first Vice President to be elected by the people.

Currently, Hussain Mohamed Latheef is the Vice President. He started his job on November 17, 2023.

The Vice President of Maldives

The role of the Vice President is clearly explained in the country's main rulebook, the Constitution. This document sets out all the important rules for how the government works.

What Does a Vice President Do?

The Constitution says a few key things about the Vice President's job:

• The Vice President helps the President with all their duties.
• When someone wants to become President, they must tell everyone who their Vice President will be.
• To be Vice President, you need to meet the same requirements as the President.
• If the President's job becomes empty for any reason, the Vice President takes over as President.

The Vice President also has other important tasks:

• They do special jobs that the President asks them to do.
• If the President is away or can't do their job for a short time, the Vice President steps in.
• If the Vice President's job becomes empty, the President chooses a new one. This choice must be approved by the People's Majlis, which is like the country's parliament.

Because of these rules, the President decides many of the daily tasks and duties for the Vice President.

The First Vice Presidents

The very first Vice President of the Maldives was Ibrahim Muhammad Didi. He was appointed to the job by President Mohamed Amin Didi in 1953. When President Mohamed Amin Didi left office, Ibrahim Didi became the acting President for a short time.

Later, President Ibrahim Nasir also appointed several people to be Vice Presidents. This happened after his Prime Minister, Ahmed Zaki, was no longer in office.

For a long time, during the rule of Muhammad Fareed Didi and President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Maldives did not have a Vice President.

The First Elected Vice President

A new Constitution was created in 2008. This new set of rules brought back the job of Vice President. It also clearly explained what the Vice President's duties would be.

Under this new Constitution, Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan became the first Vice President to be elected by the people. He took office on November 11, 2008. He ran alongside Mohamed Nasheed, who became President. Their election marked a big change in the country's leadership.

Before becoming Vice President, Dr. Waheed worked for the United Nations. He was a senior official there, even leading UNICEF in several countries. He also has a special advanced degree (a PhD) from Stanford University. He was the first Maldivian to earn such a degree.

Taking the Oath of Office

When a Vice President starts their job, they must say a special promise called an oath. This oath is written word-for-word in the Maldives Constitution. It shows they promise to do their job well and follow the country's laws.

Here is what the Vice President says: I, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of Almighty Allah that I will respect the religion of Islam, that I will uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives and the fundamental rights of the Maldivian citizens, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Maldives, and will discharge the duties and responsibilities of the office of Vice President honestly and faithfully in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Maldives.

List of Vice Presidents