Former President Abdulla Yameen has been elected unopposed as the president of the People’s National Front (PNF), the party he founded after splitting from the PPM-PNC coalition. 
His former vice president during his presidency, Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, and his son Zain Abdulla Yameen were also elected as vice presidents.
The PNF’s first national assembly was held on Thursday evening, where internal elections were conducted for key leadership roles. As only Yameen, Jameel, and Zain applied for their respective posts, they were automatically elected.
In addition to the top three, former Technology Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal was elected as the party’s Secretary General, while Ahmed Musthafa, who served as Chief of Staff during Yameen’s administration, was elected Treasurer. Both had previously held interim roles in the party and were among its founding members, along with Jameel and Zain.
A total of 55 individuals applied for 20 leadership positions, reflecting what Maleeh described as growing interest and optimism surrounding the party’s future. The elections for the party’s 14 senators and registrar are scheduled to follow during the national council meeting on October 30.
Yameen formed the PNF after resigning as coalition leader less than a week into President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s term. The party was officially registered on March 25, 2024. Prior to this, Yameen had led the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC), but was unable to contest the 2023 presidential election due to an 11-year prison sentence for money laundering and embezzlement. That conviction was later overturned by the High Court, citing serious procedural errors.
Since the formation of PNF, Yameen has been holding biweekly meetings at the party office, where he and his close allies have frequently criticized the current administration.