Majlis polls: 18 women from opposition; only two for ruling party
Among the three candidates who lost in the primary include Rozaina Adam, who is serving her third term in parliament.
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By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) and The Democrats are fielding a total of 18 female candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections, while the ruling coalition PPM-PNC would be represented by only two.
The candidates contesting the parliamentary elections from the three parties have now been confirmed with the MDP and Democrats primary concluding on Saturday. However, the total number of women candidates will be confirmed only after the Election Commission releases the list of candidates.
Even while the MDP had held its primary on Saturday, candidates contesting 48 constituencies had already secured their tickets without a primary. There are three female candidates among them. They are:
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Jeehan Mahmood, who is running for a second term in the Hinnavaru constituency
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Former State Minister of Gender Ministry Ifham Hussain is contesting for Maafannu North constituency
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Former Mahibadhoo MP Rugiyya Mohammed, contesting for Dhangethi constituency this time
Jeehan and Rugiyya secured their tickets as they were unchallenged. Ifham secured her ticket after the other candidate withdrew his name at the last minute.
The MDP held primaries in 40 constituencies on Saturday. 149 candidates contested the constituencies, including eight women. Three of these women won the primary. They are:
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Hulhumale Central Constituency - Safaath Ahmed Zahir
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Fuvahmulah South- Nazra Naseem
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Thandhoo South Constituency - Zifleen Hassan
Among the three candidates who lost in the primary include Rozaina Adam, who is serving her third term in parliament.
There are still five constituencies where the MDP has not yet finalised its candidates. The party will also field candidates for these constituencies. Therefore, the number of female candidates is likely to increase.
46 candidates contested The Democrats primary for 41 constituencies. Of these, 13 were female and 12 tickets were secured without a primary. it is:
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1-
Galolhu North Constituency - incumbent MP Eva Abdullah
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2-
Manadhoo Constituency - Aishath Ibrahim
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3-
Thimarafushi Constituency - Fathimath Zilma
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4-
Guraidhoo Constituency - Leela Ibrahim Manik
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5-
Fonadhoo Constituency - Azlifa Yusuf
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6-
Hithadhoo North Constituency - Shabeena Ibrahim Deedi
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7-
Henveiru North Constituency - Ishrath Hameed
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8-
Mahchangolhi South Constituency - Aminath Muna
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9-
Maafannu South - Afaaf Ahmed Rasheed
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10-
Mahchangolhi Middle - Aishath Alaika Adnan
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11-
Hulhumale Central - Zeenath Ali
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12-
Hulhumale North - Fatima Hamda
PNC has two female candidates
The ruling main party, the PNC, had four times as many female candidates as the MDP in its primary late last month. Thus:
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32 female candidates participated
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Only Asma Rasheed, who contested the Maafannu Central constituency, won
Without a primary, 13 candidates have been confirmed. They include
the cousin of President Mohammed Muizzu, Fatimath Sauda, who is contesting the F. Nilandhoo constituency.
Some female candidates criticised the announcement of the results of the PPM/PNC primary. Some said that women are not valued when it comes to a vote. Despite many educated women facing the polls the unsuccessful candidates said the lack of votes for them was a step backwards in the party’s efforts to empower women.
