Nasheed supports combining presidential and parliamentary elections

Former president Mohamed Nasheed, on Sunday, has voiced support for combining the two main elections in the Maldives, the presidential and the parliamentary elections.

Ruling PNC’s Parliamentary Group Leader, Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah has submitted a constitutional amendment seeking to combine the presidential and the parliamentary elections, and for this purpose, change the inauguration of the new parliamentary assembly to December 1^st.

If the proposed amendments are passed, it would mean the 21^st parliamentary assembly will be inaugurated on December 1^st in 2028, after a combined presidential and parliamentary election. This would effectively conclude the ongoing 20th parliamentary assembly, which is shortened in contrast to a normal five-year parliamentary term in order to accommodate the change. 

Nasheed voiced out support for the amendments via a post on X.

Riyaasee inthikhaabaai Majlis inthikhaab ekeega beyhvun e ee rangalhu gothehkamugai alhugandu dheken.

— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) January 4, 2026

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced his administration’s plans to submit legislative amendments to combine the presidential and parliamentary elections in a bid to reduce state expenditure during a function held to inaugurate ruling PNC’s new party centre on July 7, 2024.

He cited this as the most beneficial course of action for Maldivians, citing that over MVR 180 million was incurred for the two rounds of the last presidential elections, and over MVR 120 million was incurred for the last parliamentary elections.

According to the President, combining both elections would help save at least MVR 120 million, which can be put to better use, such as assisting low-income individuals.