President rejects opposition claims of authoritarian rule

President Mohamed Muizzu said on Monday that allegations describing his administration as authoritarian are unfounded, stating that democratic practices are being observed during his term in office.

The comments were made at a press conference at the President’s Office in response to a question from Dhauru regarding criticism from the opposition. Opposition parties have accused the government of attempting to consolidate power and of seeking to merge presidential and parliamentary elections as part of a broader political strategy.

Following the most recent parliamentary elections, members of the People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentary group were informed of appointments to senior parliamentary positions by the President, and the group acted accordingly. Since then, the PNC-majority Parliament has passed several measures proposed by the government.

These include a constitutional amendment enabling the loss of parliamentary seats following expulsion from a political party, changes to the composition of the Supreme Court bench during proceedings related to constitutional litigation, and the appointment of a new Prosecutor General. Opposition parties have also noted that several constitutional cases filed at different levels of the judiciary remain unresolved.

In response, President Muizzu said democratic norms are being upheld under his administration. He cited the conduct of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) primary elections in government schools and institutions with state support, and changes to regulations governing public gatherings in Malé.

He said no political leader has been detained for expressing dissent and that the term “dictatorship” does not apply to his government.

“If the term is to be used, it should be used in reference to previous administrations,” the President said.

He added that his administration engages with the public through meetings with individuals, councils and institutions, and that feedback gathered through these engagements informs government decisions.