General Election, 21 April 2024

On 21 April 2024, the Maldives held elections to vote for 93 parliamentary constituencies. MPs are elected via the first past-the-post system (IFES 2024). The electoral management body is the Election Commission Republic of Maldives (see: Election Commission 2024). During the 2024 parliamentary elections the People’s National Congress party took 66 seats; the Maldivian Democratic Party took 12 seats –  a sharp decrease from their previous 65 seats (IPU Parline 2024). 

Parliamentary elections were originally scheduled for 17 March 2024. They were postponed to 21 April after the President ratified an amendment to the General Elections Act which prevents the country from holding elections during Ramadan or the 10 days following Ramadan (IFES 2024). Starting in March 2024, the Maldives experienced extreme heat with record-breaking temperatures during the tail end of the El-Niño weather phenomenon (Borenstein 2024; Shareef 2024). During the elections, the extreme heat and humidity likely impeded citizens’ ability to vote as residents were advised to avoid strenuous activities during the hottest hours in the day from 11:00 am to 15:00 (Azeez 2024). In response, the Election Commission extended the close of polling from 16:00 to 17:30 (Shareef 2024).

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) Party accused one another of engaging in electoral malpractice. The Maldivian Anti-Corruption commission launched 14 investigations into malpractices within the April 2024 election including the following: abuse of state resources for campaigning, bribery and potential violation of opposition candidate’s rights. The Election Commission conducted investigations as well and issued several warnings of legal consequences regarding disinformation campaigns and undermining the electoral rights of other candidates (Richards 2024). For example, the incumbent administration (MDP) was accused of using political appointees and State-owned enterprises to gain a political advantage (ANFREL 2024). Meanwhile in the wake of the PNC’s super majority victory, reports surfaced of the party paying anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000 Rufiyaa (USD $320–$1,600 approx.) in exchange for votes (Daily Mirror 2024).

The political climate was already acrimonious in the pre-election period. In January 2024 acts of physical violence took place within parliament itself during which a board member of Parliamentarians for Global Action’s (PGA), Hon. Rozaina Adam, was assaulted both verbally and physically (PGA 2024). The fight in parliament initially broke out during a debate regarding the approval of former President Mohamed Muizzu’s proposed cabinet ministers, and involved MPs from several parties (Mayengbam 2024; PGA 2024). 

The Maldives improved voting for Dhaftharu people by allocating them to primarily two constituencies in attempt to ensure Dhaftharu voters’ opportunities to elect MPs of their choice. The Election Commission also introduced an online re-registration process for those intending to vote in a constituency other than their place of permanent address. Improvements was also made for people with disabilities, especially formats for voters with visual impairments who could for the first time in a general election with assured ballot secrecy (Transparency Maldives 2024). 

Voter turnout of in 2024 was 73.91 per cent, a decrease of 7.41 per cent on 2019 when there was a turnout of 81.32 per cent (International IDEA 2024). 

41 women contested the election, however, only three won seats in the parliament. This represented a decrease in women MPs (Zalif 2024); Maldives already ranked 177^th out of 183 countries for female representation in parliament – in marked contrast to local government level (Rajesh 2022). 

Transparency Maldives conducted a pre-election observation report raising three main issues for the elections: women’s representation; vote buying and misuse of state resources; and voter registration issues –  the permanent address system cause voters to vote in municipalities where they do not normally live, creating an issue of people being unable to impact politics locally (Transparency Maldives 2024).