Bill proposed to shorten parliamentary term, merge presidential and parliamentary elections

A bill has been submitted on behalf of the government to shorten the current term of Parliament and merge the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The bill was submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PNC) Parliamentary Group Leader and Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falaah. It proposes holding presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously and includes amendments related to the calculation of parliamentary terms and age requirements, as well as necessary changes to the Constitution.

According to the bill, parliamentary elections will be held every five years alongside presidential elections. It states that the term of the next Parliament will begin on December 1, 2028, with the current parliamentary term set to expire on that date.

As such, the bill proposes that parliamentary elections be held before December 1, 2028, together with the presidential election, effectively merging the two polls.

The government has said the move is intended to reduce state expenditure associated with conducting separate elections. MP Falaah has previously stated that holding both elections together would save approximately MVR 70 million from the state budget.

Parliament last year also passed a Referendum Act to allow public opinion to be sought on major national issues. The legislation enables changes such as moving the presidential inauguration date from November 17 to November 11, holding presidential and parliamentary elections together, and conducting a referendum on abolishing the second round of presidential elections.

The Act also provides for secret ballots on other matters of national importance.

The first referendum held under the Act took place in October last year, seeking public opinion on separating Addu City’s connected islands into separate administrative constituencies.