Solih opposes merged polls, calls for mid-term parliamentary elections

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday said the government’s proposal to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the same date is not appropriate, and instead proposed holding parliamentary elections midway through the presidential term.

A constitutional amendment passed by Parliament and pending ratification by President Mohamed Muizzu would shorten the current parliamentary term to 1 December 2028 and require presidential and parliamentary elections to be held together. Under the Constitution, the amendment would only take effect if approved by a majority in a public referendum.

The government has decided to hold the referendum on 4 April, alongside the local council elections.

Speaking at the opening of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) headquarters in Lh. Kurendhoo on Sunday evening, Solih said he does not agree with the proposed arrangement. He said that under the current system, parliamentary elections are held several months after presidential elections, which has resulted in newly elected presidents securing large parliamentary majorities.

“President Abdulla Yameen was elected and secured a large majority in Parliament. Then I was elected and secured a larger majority. Then President Muizzu was elected and secured an even larger majority,” Solih said.

He said the present system does not provide sufficient opportunity to assess a government before the end of its five-year term. According to Solih, Parliament should be structured in a way that allows the public to hold the government accountable during the presidential term.

Solih outlined two options to address this. One proposal is to hold parliamentary elections midway through the presidential term, around two and a half years after the presidential election. The second option is to maintain parliamentary elections alongside presidential elections, while also holding separate parliamentary elections at the midpoint of the presidential term.

“While the President serves a five-year term, there must be a point at which the government can be assessed,” he said.

Solih called on voters to reject the government’s proposal at the referendum to be held alongside the council elections.

He said the second option reflects the system used in the United States, where members of the legislature serve two-year terms and elections are held both with the presidential election and midway through the presidential term. He said the purpose of such a system is to allow voters to reshape Parliament based on the government’s policies and performance.