Government Proposes Merging Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Maldives

A government-backed constitutional amendment has been submitted to the Maldivian Parliament, aiming to combine the presidential and parliamentary elections. The amendment, proposed by Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah, leader of the ruling PNC's Parliamentary Group, also seeks to shorten the current 20th parliamentary assembly to accommodate the change. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2028, and if the amendment passes, the 21st parliamentary assembly would be inaugurated on December 1, 2028, following a combined election. This would effectively reduce the ongoing parliamentary term from its standard five-year duration. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced the proposal in July 2024, highlighting the potential financial savings of merging the elections. He noted that over MVR 180 million was spent on the last presidential elections and MVR 120 million on the parliamentary elections. Combining the two could save at least MVR 120 million, funds that could be redirected to assist low-income individuals.