Yameen Warns Against Merging Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has raised concerns over the government's push to merge presidential and parliamentary elections through a constitutional amendment, warning that the move would undermine democratic oversight and lead to 'serious mistakes.' The amendment, proposed by ruling PNC parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah, seeks to hold both elections simultaneously and shift the start date of the new Parliament to December 1, 2028. Yameen argued that separating the elections allows voters to assess the president's performance before electing parliamentarians, ensuring accountability. He dismissed cost-saving arguments, stating the change would compromise public interest. Earlier, former President Mohamed Nasheed supported the merger, while former MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail suggested splitting parliamentary elections into two rounds instead.