Parliament votes in favor of merging presidential and parliamentary elections

The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) used its supermajority in the Parliament on Tuesday to pass constitutional amendments proposed by the government to hold future presidential elections and parliamentary elections on the same day.

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.

But the amendments, sponsored by PNC’s parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah, 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 bill, which was passed as is in a brief five-minute meeting on Monday with a majority vote of the Independent Institutions Committee, was put to a floor vote on Tuesday morning.

When voting time came, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla announced that the Parliament’s standing orders allows he himself to join the vote.

Abdul Raheem, the chairperson of PNC, voted with the rest of his party members in favor of merging the two major elections.

The bill passed with a majority vote of 72-1.

The sole ‘no’ vote came from Addu Meedhoo MP Abdul Rahman, an independent lawmaker.

Earlier on Tuesday, three parliamentarians from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) were kicked out of the chambers during debate time for protesting against the bill; Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir, Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad (Fittey), South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem and Keyodhoo MP Mohamed Niushad.

Other MDP lawmakers were also admonished for disrupting the sitting with their protests, but weren’t told to leave the chamber.

The remaining MDP lawmakers refused to join the vote.

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 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.