Zeine Abdulla Yameen

Zeine Abdulla Yameen
ޒޭން ޢަބްދުﷲ ޔާމީން
Vice President of the People's National Front
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 October 2025
PresidentAbdulla Yameen
Personal details
PartyPeople's National Front (2023–present)
RelationsSee Gayoom family
Children1
Parents

Zeine Abdulla Yameen (/zeɪn/; also spelled Zain Abdulla Yameen or Zein Abdulla Yameen; Dhivehi: ޒޭން ޢަބްދުﷲ ޔާމީން) is a Maldivian politician who is serving as the vice president of the People's National Front since 2025. A member of the Gayoom family, Yameen is the son of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim.

Yameen became the founder of the People's National Front in November 2023 following his father Gayoom's split from the Progressive Party of Maldives.[1] In 2025, Yameen was elected as the vice president of the PNF alongside Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.[2]

Early life and background

Zeine Abdulla Yameen was born to former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and former First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim.[1] He is the eldest son of Abdulla Yameen.[3]

Political activism

Yameen had attention on him in 2019 when he called former Youth and Sports minister Ahmed Mahloof a stealer (Dhivehi: ވަގަށް), in response Mahloof stated that Yameen should call his father, Abdulla Yameen, that.[4] Yameen gained political attention during the imprisonment of his father, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, since he used Zeine to convey Eid greetings from prison.[3]

He also made public statements regarding his father's legal proceedings and detention conditions.[5] Yameen alleged that state authorities were restricting his father's ability to appeal, including by withholding court documents required for legal processes.[6] His father alleged that the ruling coalition sought to have his spouse and son attend protests calling for his release in order to facilitate their arrest.[7][8]

Yameen has also acted as a spokesperson for his family during the legal proceedings faced by his father.[9][10] He accused the government officials of trying to meddle in the legal proceeding as well as prevent his father, Abdulla Yameen from receiving proper legal or medical aid.[10]

In January 2023, Yameen represented a delegation from the Progressive Congress Coalition in a meeting with European Union ambassadors in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where the group raised concerns about the imprisonment of former President Abdulla Yameen and alleged that the trial and sentence were unjust. He participated as a representative alongside other senior figures.[11]

Political career

After Abdulla Yameen splitted from the Progressive Party of Maldives amid tightening tensions between his father and Muizzu, Ibrahim Shujau alleged that he left after Muizzu denied giving Zeine Tourism Minister's post.[12][13]

In an interview with Channel 13, Yameen stated that he supports reforms to increase private sector investment in the Maldives economy.[14]

Following legal challenges involving his father, whose convictions on bribery and money laundering charges, Yameen became a founder of the People's National Front (PNF), a political party registered with the Elections Commission of the Maldives in 2024.[15] After the party's registration, Yameen served as the interim leader of the People's National Front.[16]

During the early activities of the People's National Front, Yameen publicly criticised the presidency of Mohamed Muizzu, stating that the change brought by Muizzu's administration had not been positive. After a PNF rally that was initially obstructed by authorities, Yameen spoke to local media and said he did not believe the change under Muizzu was beneficial, emphasising that the party intended to be inclusive and open to all members of society.[17][18][19]

In October 2025, following his release from legal restrictions and acquittal in related cases, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom was elected unopposed as president of the People's National Front, while he served as one of the party's vice presidents alongside Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Yameen's son named as founder of his new party, PNF". Sun. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b Azeez, Azhaar Abdul (30 October 2025). "Yameen elected unopposed as PNF president; son Zain and Jameel named vice presidents". Sun. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b Mohamed, Naizak (21 April 2023). "Yameen's eid greeting from prison: Stand tall against violence". Sun. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  4. ^ "މަޙްލޫފް ރައީސް ޔާމީންގެ ދަރިކަލުންނަށް: ބައްޕަ ފެންނަ ކޮންމެ ފަހަރަކު ވަގަށް ގޮވާލީމަ މާ ކޫލް ވާނެ!" [Mahloof to President Yameen's son: Calling your dad a stealer when you see him is way more cool!]. Miadhu. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  5. ^ Isaadha, Mariyam (11 January 2024). "އާރާ ބާރު އޮތްއިރު ރައީސް ޔާމީން މިނިވަންކުރުމަށް ގޮވާނުލާތީ ޒޭންގެ ނުރުހުން ވެރިންނަށް!". Channel 13 (in Divehi). Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  6. ^ Ibrahim, Iyad (12 January 2023). "President Yameen's right to appeal has been curtailed by the government: Zain Yameen". Maldives Voice. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Yameen alleges PNC attempted to have his wife and son arrested". Sun. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Yameen Accuses PPM-PNC of Arrest Attempt on Wife and Son". MV+. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  9. ^ Adam, Ibrahim (8 April 2021). "President Yameen's Message to the People From Behind Bars". The Maldives Journal. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  10. ^ a b Mohamed, Shahudha (19 August 2020). "Home Minister Imran "obstructing right to lawyer, spreading misinformation": Ex-pres Yameen's family". The Edition. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  11. ^ "PPM Raises Concerns over Former President Yameen's Incarceration with EU Ambassadors". The Maldives Journal. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Yameen-Muizzu feud intensifies, ties severed long before the 'missed calls'". The Edition. 27 November 2023. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  13. ^ Rehan, Mohamed (3 August 2024). "Ex-Pres Yameen stepped away over Zein's minister snub: Shujau". Sun. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  14. ^ Exclusive interview of Zeyn Abdulla Yameen (Video) (in Divehi). Channel 13. 18 October 2020 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ Shahid, Malika (26 November 2023). "Yameen's new party to register with his son Zain as founder". The Edition. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  16. ^ Mohamed, Mariyath (10 April 2025). "PNF Formation Meeting held through obstructions, Zain appointed Interim President". The Edition. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  17. ^ Shihab, Ibrahim H. (April 2024). "Muizzu Presidency Failed to Bring About Positive Change: Zeine Abdulla Yameen". Maldives Republic. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  18. ^ Zara, Aminath (26 July 2024). "ވަކި ލެވެލްއަކަށް ރައްޔިތުން ތިރިވާން ބުނުމަކީ މިނިސްޓަރެއްގެ ހުންނަންވާނެ ސިފައެއް ނޫން: ޒޭން" [Telling people to come down to a certain level is not a minister's characteristic: Zeine]. Channel 13 (in Divehi). Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  19. ^ Isaadha, Mariyam (11 April 2024). "ފެނިގެން ދިޔައީ ޚުދުމުހުތާރު ވެރިކަމެއްގެ ފެށުން: ޒޭން" [Just saw the beginning of a dictatorship: Zeine]. Channel 13 (in Divehi). Retrieved 13 February 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.