The Edition
facebook icon twitter icon instagram icon linkedin icon

Latest

News / MDP

MDP makes record with over 50,000 members

Shahudha Mohamed
21 May 2019, MVT 20:49
Members of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) celebrating their victory following the 2019 parliamentary elections. PHOTO: HUSSAIN WAHEED/MIHAARU
Shahudha Mohamed
21 May 2019, MVT 20:49

Elections Commission (EC) on Monday night announced that the membership of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has reached an all-time high with 54,302 registered individuals.

After reviewing all the forms submitted to the commission, EC President Ahmed Shareef stated that only two parties currently have member counts higher than 10,000. These parties are MDP of the ruling coalition and main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

According to the Political Parties Act, party funds from the state budget will only be granted to those with 10,000 members or more.

Shareef declared that Ministry of Finance is now tasked with issuing the funds to the parties with 10,000 members or more at the time when the budget was passed.

As per this date, a total of four parties meet this criteria, including Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), in addition to MDP and PPM.

With a total of MVR 26.2 million allocated as party funds, the 2019 state budget was passed on November 28, 2018.

Current member counts of political parties:

- Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP): 54,302

- Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM): 38,020

- Jumhooree Party (JP): 9,335

- Maldives Development Alliance (MDA): 8,712

- Adhaalath Party (AP): 6,253

- Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD): 3,575

- People's National Congress (PNC): 3,084

- Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP): 2,870

- Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party: 2,766

Elections Commission revealed that member count was highest in PPM until July 31, 2018. Then PPM was the ruling party with 48,129 members, while the main opposition party MDP at the time had 29,008 registered members.

However, as the main party in the ruling coalition, MDP currently holds the record for the Maldivian political party with most members in history.

MORE ON NEWS