The Maldivian political thriller

The Maldivian political narrative is more fast-paced than a John Grisham novel and has more twists and turns than an airport thriller. The latest subplot was set in motion when reports began to circulate of President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom's wish to replace Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed with Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb as the vice president by 26 July – Maldives' Independence Day.

It seemed an impossible task, given that Minister Adeeb is 33 years old while the Constitution required that the vice president (and the president) be at least 35 years of age. But, as in fiction, anything is possible if the author is determined enough. Short of changing Adeeb's birth certificate, the only other option was to rewrite the Constitution. Which is exactly what the president did. On 24 June, the Constitution was amended with the help of opposition parties Jumhooree [Republican] Party (JP) and the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), setting the new eligibility range for the president and the vice president between 30 and 65 years of age.