Trouble in paradise - Telegraph The Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, is best known for its vulnerability to rising sea levels and as an exotic beach resort. Over the past week it has been involved in a political crisis in which the former president claims he was forced to resign under pressure from the security forces, while his successor says his departure was voluntary. Mohamed Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected head of state, has called for early elections. His replacement, Mohamed Waheed Hassan, the former vice-president, wants a government of national unity and for the next poll to be held, as scheduled, towards the end of next year. Opposition to Mr Nasheed comes from various quarters. Conservative Muslims disapprove of his attempts to improve relations with Israel and make alcohol more widely available. Resort owners object to his plans for closing tax loopholes in the tourist industry. There have been protests against rising prices. And over all of this hangs the shadow of Abdul Gayoom, the autocrat whose 30-year rule was brought to an end by Mr Nasheed in 2008. Most of the ministers appointed by Mr Hassan served under Mr Gayoom. The new attorney general successfully defended various people charged with corruption by Mr Nasheed's government. This tangled skein is best unpicked by an early presidential poll. The electorate should decide the fate of the former president. Regrettably, Washington has backed Mr Hassan's option of cobbling together a government of national unity. It is to be hoped that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group will present a more robust defence of democratic principles. Meanwhile, opponents of Mr Nasheed should remember that this crisis threatens a tourist industry accounting for around two thirds of Maldivean foreign exchange earnings.