President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that the government is working to submit draft legislation to introduce recall votes for Parliamentarians and local councillors during the current parliamentary session.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, the President said the proposed mechanism would allow citizens to directly hold elected representatives accountable during their term.
“The current system lacks a direct process for removing parliamentarians or councillors if public confidence is lost. While councillors may face action by the Local Government Authority and MPs can lose seats through court rulings, the public has no formal avenue to initiate removal. This must change,” he said.
President Muizzu said technical discussions are underway to study recall systems used in established democracies, with the aim of adapting suitable models to the Maldivian context.
He stressed the need for a clear and robust legal framework before implementation, including defined thresholds and procedures.
“We must determine how such a process would function, including the percentage of constituents required to sign a recall petition, the parliamentary threshold needed to trigger a vote, and whether a majority vote would be required,” he said.
The President added that the system must ensure transparency, accessibility and safeguards against misuse.
The proposed recall mechanism forms part of a broader package of electoral and institutional reforms being pursued by the government.
These include proposals to reserve parliamentary seats for youth, women and persons with disabilities, the possible introduction of a preferential voting system for presidential elections, and measures to strengthen the independence of key state institutions.
The composition of the Judicial Service Commission is also expected to undergo legislative review to enhance transparency and impartiality.