Committee votes in favor of merging presidential and parliamentary elections

The Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee on Monday passed constitutional amendments proposed by the government to hold future presidential elections and parliamentary elections on the same day.

The bill, sponsored by ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah, was passed as is with the unanimous consensus of the committee in a brief five-minute meeting in the morning.

Under the current system, voters go to polls twice within around six months every five years, electing the president in September and members of Parliament in April.

Inguraidhoo representative Falah’s bill proposes merging the two elections, and bringing forward the start of the parliamentary term from May to December 1 to get this done.

This change will shorten the five-year term of the current parliamentary assembly, sworn in on May 28, 2024, by around six months.

The first combined poll would take place in 2028.

The constitutional amendments to merge the two elections has now been forwarded for a floor vote.

With the PNC holding a supermajority in the Parliament, the bill is expected to pass with little resistance.

However, merging the two elections will still require a public referendum.

PNC is pushing to have the referendum held on the same day as the Local Council Election – which is scheduled for April 4.

Elections Commission (EC)’s chairman Mohamed Zahid said the constitutional amendments must be in force by February 18 in order for that to be possible.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu first announced plans introduce constitutional amendments to combine the two major elections back in 2024. He promoted it as a cost-cutting measure that will save around MVR 120 million in expenses.

However, the opposition is largely opposed to such a move. While former President Mohamed Nasheed has said he is in favor of combining the two elections, others within the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), including former chairperson Fayyaz Ismail and former Maldivian Vice President Faisal Naseem, as well as former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who leads the People’s National Front (PNF), have publicly expressed opposition to the move.