President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated today that holding the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections on the same day will make it the closest to being a "free and fair" election.
During today's press conference that was held at the President's Office, President Muizzu said this in response to a journalist's question regarding the government's stance on preferential voting and talks of the second round of voting in the Presidential Election being dissolved.
The President said that he believes many citizens want the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections to be held on the same day.
While stating that it is not politically driven, the President said that a "free and fair" election can only be held when both of the elections are held on the same day.
"The reason I am saying this is, with the elections being held on the same day, it would not be clear who would be elected as President. Otherwise, a government is being elected. And then there's the Parliamentary Election six months later. The candidate states that they belong to the ruling party, that they are in the President's party. There is no fairness after that," said President Muizzu.
The President continued by stating that with both elections held on the same day, there would be no opportunity for complaints regarding candidate or government influence upon the elections.
And so, according to President Muizzu, the best and closest way the election can be "free and fair" is by electing Parliament members in the same way a government is elected without knowing the outcome of which government it will be, the same going for MPs.
"Parliament members will be elected and evenly distributed with such as election. Not with a super majority or by members of a certain party being a majority," said the President.
President Muizzu went on to say that this would result in making it easier in holding the government accountable.
While highlighting that the topic of preferential voting and a one-round Presidential Election were spoken of two years ago, President Muizzu said that it was spoken of at the time because it was his frame of mind back then and that he wanted the opinion of the public.
He also said that it should be discussed amongst the citizens.
"Even so, research and studies have been ongoing since then at a technical and legal level. They are changing. In case of such changes, I do not want the citizens to be disappointed in our system in the years to come, nor for the system to be a weakness," said the President.
"I want it to be proper and transparent. The system should be transparent to the point no questions may arise in the process of a President being elected in one round instead of two."
President Muizzu stated that it should be done in a manner suitable for Maldives and that a decision should be reached after public discussions are held.
