Fayyaz Proposes Two-Round Parliamentary Elections, Criticizes Government’s Election Merger Plan

Former Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has criticized the government’s plan to merge presidential and parliamentary elections, urging a wider debate and proposing an alternative model. Fayyaz suggested dividing parliamentary elections into two rounds, with half held alongside the presidential election and the other mid-term. This, he argued, would allow voters to assess the government’s performance and adjust representation accordingly. The proposal comes as Parliament prepares to reconvene on Monday with a government-backed bill seeking constitutional amendments to merge the two elections. Fayyaz questioned the government’s claim that merging elections would reduce costs, warning that such a move could undermine public decision-making. He emphasized that issues affecting people’s power should be widely debated and urged President Muizzu to present more options to the public.