President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has called for synchronisation of the presidential and parliamentary elections, arguing that holding both votes on the same day reflects democratic principles and serves the best interests of the people. Speaking at a political gathering organised by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), he outlined a vision for electoral reform intended to increase civic participation and streamline fiscal planning.
At the centre of the proposal, he said, is a drive to raise voter turnout in legislative races. Citing historical data from the Maldives’ multi-party era, the president noted a persistent disparity: presidential elections have drawn strong engagement, averaging more than 86 percent turnout, while parliamentary contests have lagged at 76 percent. Consolidating the electoral calendar, he said, would encourage more citizens to cast ballots for their representatives.
“The primary advantage of this initiative is the enhancement of civic engagement,” President Muizzu stated. “Historically, the data clearly indicates that the highest voter turnout occurs during presidential elections, drawing significantly greater participation than both parliamentary and local council contests.”
Under the current framework, parliamentary elections are held six months after the presidential vote. Closing this gap, the president said, would deliver administrative benefits, most notably enabling the legislature to immediately consider and approve the national budget in line with the newly elected government’s mandate. Should the public endorse concurrent elections in the upcoming referendum, he pledged to introduce amendments to the Public Finance Act to formalise the transition. He described the existing system, which prevents a new administration from shaping its first budget around its manifesto, as a disservice to the electorate.
“Under the current statutory framework, the budget must be submitted prior to the end of September,” the president explained. “I intend to propose amendments to the Public Finance Act that will empower the newly elected parliamentary body, assuming office on 1 December, to actively participate in the budget’s approval and provide them the opportunity to guide that process forward.”
The proposed change requires the eighth amendment to the Constitution and will be put directly to the public. A referendum is scheduled for 4 April, timed to coincide with the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee elections.