Nazim: Architects of the constitution were not against merged elections

Parliament’s Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, on Sunday night, said the individuals who drafted the constitution had not intended to prevent parliamentary and presidential elections from being held on the same day.

A public referendum is scheduled to be held alongside the 2026 Maldivian Local Council Elections on April 4 to determine whether parliamentary and presidential elections should be merged. While the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) has expressed support for the proposal, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) continues to oppose the initiative.

Speaking at a ceremony on Sunday night to inaugurate the South Machangolhi campaign centre for PNC candidates contesting the Malé City Council Election, Nazim pointed that discussions on merging the two elections had already taken place during the drafting of the Constitution. As a member of the Special Majlis responsible for drafting the Constitution at the time, he provided historical context on the matter.

“Following the referendum that determined the system of governance, discussions were held regarding the scheduling of subsequent elections. A proposal to conduct both elections concurrently was introduced in the Special Majlis. The proposal received support and was subsequently put to a vote,” Nazim stated.

He further alleged that the MDP was misleading the public by suggesting that the proposal represents a new or previously unconsidered concept.

Nazim explained that elections ended up being separated at the time due to delays in the enactment of the necessary legislative frameworks. After the first presidential election under the new Constitution in 2008, it became necessary to draft the Elections Commission Act and a new General Elections Act to govern the operations of the newly established independent institutions.

As a result, parliamentary elections could only be conducted in May 2009, once the required legislative frameworks had been enacted.

“The gap between the two election dates arose solely due to the time required to formulate and pass those laws,” he said.

“It was never the intention of those who drafted the Constitution to hold these elections seperately. The Special Majlis that finalized the Constitution intended that the two elections be held as close together as possible.”

Criticising the opposition’s position, Nazim suggested that the MDP’s narrative portrays the proposal as an unprecedented development in the Maldives. He further noted that conducting both elections on the same day could potentially increase voter turnout.

While the government has expressed support for consolidating the elections in order to streamline administrative processes and reduce costs, the opposition maintains that the proposal is a strategic effort aimed at facilitating the concentration of political power within a single party.