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2026 Maldivian constitutional referendum

2026 Maldivian constitutional referendum
4 April 2026 (2026-04-04)
Ratification of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution

A constitutional referendum is scheduled to be held in the Maldives on 4 April 2026, the same day as local elections. The referendum asks voters whether they support shortening the current parliamentary term and amending the Constitution so that presidential and parliamentary elections are held on the same day in 2028. This referendum follows a Presidential decree and the newly enacted Public Referendum Act (Law No. 15/2025)[1]

Background

In early 2026, the government of President Mohamed Muizzu and the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) introduced a constitutional amendment bill to shorten the term of the current People's Majlis and to align the next parliamentary elections with the 2028 presidential election. Under the amendment, the parliamentary term would end on 1 December 2028, instead of its scheduled expiry in May 2029, and future parliamentary elections would be held concurrently with the presidential polls every five years.[2]

Parliament passed the amendment bill in February 2026 with broad support, including 72 out of 73 MPs voting in favor, despite opposition protests and abstentions from some opposition lawmakers.[3]

Referendum Legislation

Under Maldivian law, amendments to provisions governing the term of Parliament and the conduct of presidential elections require approval in a public referendum.[4]

The government announced plans to hold the referendum on the same day as the 4 April 2026 local elections to reduce costs and logistical burdens. Officials from the Elections Commission and Attorney General Ahmed Usham noted that timing and legal requirements—such as the minimum 45-day preparation period—must be met for a concurrent referendum.[5][6]

Proposal

The referendum question proposed would ask voters to approve (Yes) or reject (No) the constitutional amendments that would:

  • Reduce the parliamentary term by roughly six months;
  • Amend the Constitution to require that parliamentary and presidential elections be held on the same date in 2028 and thereafter.

Campaign

Government Position

Members of the ruling People's National Congress and government leadership argue that aligning elections would save the state significant expenditures on electoral administration and logistics.[4] Parliamentary majority leader Ibrahim Falah publicly supported holding the referendum alongside the local council elections to minimize costs and expedite implementation of the amendments.[7]

Opposition and Criticism

The Maldivian Democratic Party and other opposition figures have opposed the proposal. They argue that merging elections could reduce democratic accountability, extend the current government’s influence, and diminish Parliament’s role as a check on the executive.[8] They also alleged that it is an attempt to deprive people of their right to vote.[9]

Former MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail described the amendment as a strategy to secure an incumbent advantage “through the backdoor”, rather than a genuine reform to strengthen democracy.[10]

Opposition MPs also criticized the legislative process as rushed and have staged protests or boycotted extraordinary sittings on procedural grounds.[11]

Some commentators and civil society voices have raised concerns that simultaneous elections could amplify the "coattail effect", where voters choose the same party’s candidates across different levels of government, consolidating power.[4]

Other political parties excluding the PNC called for the referendum to be postponed, saying that constitutional amendments shouldn't be rushed and that the public should be fully infomed.[12]

References

  1. ^ "President issues Decree to hold Public Referendum on conducting Presidential and Parliamentary Elections concurrently". The President's Office. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  2. ^ Shahid, Malika (4 January 2026). "Bill proposed to shorten parliamentary term, merge presidential and parliamentary elections". The Edition. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  3. ^ Mohamed, Mariyath (10 February 2026). "Parliament passes merging of presidential and parliamentary elections". The Edition. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b c Naish, Ahmed (6 January 2026). "Concurrent elections: what the constitutional amendments mean for voters". Maldives Independent. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  5. ^ "EC: Holding referendum with council election requires finalizing law by Feb 18". Sun. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  6. ^ "AG says no legal barrier to merging elections". Atoll Times. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  7. ^ Shafeeq, Umar Shan (2 February 2026). "Falah backs referendum on holding simultaneous elections". The Edition. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  8. ^ Shahid, Malika (5 January 2026). "MDP rejects holding presidential and parliamentary elections together, alleges government seeking to extend term". The Edition. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  9. ^ Azeez, Azhaar Abdul (10 February 2026). "MDP says merging two national elections is an attempt to deprive people of their right to vote and extend the presidential term". Sun. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  10. ^ Mohamed, Naizak (10 February 2026). "Fayyaz: Amendment on merging two elections a strategy to secure re-election by 'backdoor'". SSTV. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  11. ^ Shahid, Malika (5 January 2026). "MDP decides to boycott parliament sittings". The Edition. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  12. ^ Azeez, Azhaar Abdul (2 February 2026). "Parties other than PNC call for postponing referendum on merging presidential and parliamentary elections". Sun. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
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