PPM senate votes to dissolve party
The resolution to dissolve required 38 votes and was preceded by amendments to the party’s charter to simplify the process.
Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the country’s second-largest political party by membership according to the Elections Commission (EC), has decided to dissolve.
The decision was made unanimously by 42 senators during a senate meeting at the People's National Congress (PNC) office on Monday.
The EC’s register lists PPM with 34,698 members. The resolution to dissolve required 38 votes and was preceded by amendments to the party’s charter to simplify the process.
Key changes to the PPM charter include:
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Reducing the threshold for dissolution from a three-fourths majority to a two-thirds majority of the senate.
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Expanding grounds for dissolution to include leadership discretion, replacing the earlier requirement of financial reasons.
PPM was formed on October 27, 2011 by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his supporters following a split from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP). Initially led by Gayoom, the party's first presidential candidate was his half-brother, former President Abdulla Yameen. The party achieved significant political success, winning the first presidential and parliamentary elections it contested.
The PNC, established on January 31, 2019 served as a backup party for Yameen after legal disputes arose over Gayoom’s expulsion from PPM. Following a court ruling in PPM’s favour, the two parties formed a coalition with a unified council, historically led by Yameen.
In the last presidential election, the coalition faced challenges when the Supreme Court barred Yameen from running due to an 11-year jail sentence. In response, the PNC fielded a candidate, ultimately backing current President Mohamed Muizzu after a senate decision.
Following Muizzu’s victory, the PNC has experienced rapid growth, increasing its membership from 3,000 to 28,000 as per the EC's most recent list. Party officials claim current membership exceeds 70,000, amid speculation about PPM members transferring to PNC.
