President says second round of presidential election still under review
He said voter turnout in presidential elections has exceeded 90 percent, while turnout in parliamentary elections has remained below 80 percent.
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President Mohamed Muizzu said on Monday that the proposal to remove the second round of the presidential election is still under consideration.
The People’s National Congress (PNC)-majority Parliament has passed a constitutional amendment to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day and to end the current parliamentary term on 1 December 2028.
Under the Constitution, any amendment to change the term of Parliament requires approval by a majority of voters in a referendum. In this regard, President Muizzu issued a decree on 16 February to hold a referendum on 4 April, the same day as the local council elections.
The government had earlier indicated that it was considering a referendum to merge the two elections, cancel the second round of the presidential election, and adjust the presidential term to November. However, no formal constitutional amendments have yet been submitted on these changes.
At a press conference at the President's Office on Monday, the President was asked about the proposal to cancel the second round of the presidential election.
In response, he said the matter is still being studied and that any decision would be announced after the review is completed.
“The study is being conducted. If changes are made after considering the issues, the information will be shared,” he said.
President Muizzu said the government’s objective in holding presidential and parliamentary elections together is to encourage wider participation in the electoral process.
He said voter turnout in presidential elections has exceeded 90 percent, while turnout in parliamentary elections has remained below 80 percent.
“The main purpose is to give more people the opportunity to elect the members of Parliament who represent them,” he said.
The President also noted that the outcomes of recent presidential and parliamentary elections have followed a similar pattern, with the party that wins the presidential election also securing a majority in Parliament.
“This has been reflected in practice over the past elections,” he said.
