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Political parties in the Maldives were legalized when the Maldivian parliament voted unanimously for the creation of a multi-party system on 2 June 2005. [1] This came after decades of authoritarian rule. Prior to this ruling, political parties had not been not allowed under the Maldivian legal system.
| Party | Leader | Founded | MPs | Ideology | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNC | People's National Congress ޕީޕަލްސް ނެޝެނަލް ކޮންގްރެސް | Mohamed Muizzu | 2019 | 66 | Conservatism Religious nationalism | |
| MDP | Maldivian Democratic Party ދިވެހިރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ Dhivehi ra yitungedimokretik paatee | Abdulla Shahid | 2005 | 12 | Liberal conservatism Islamic democracy | |
| MDA | Maldives Development Alliance މޯލްޑިވްސް ޑިވެލޮޕްމަންޓް އެލަޔަންސް | Ahmed Siyam Mohamed | 2012 | 2 | Economic liberalism Political Islam | |
| JP | Republican Party ޖުމްހޫރީ ޕާޓީ Jumhooree paatee | Qasim Ibrahim | 2008 | 1 | Islamic democracy Nationalism Social conservatism | |
| MNP | Maldives National Party މޯލްޑިވްސް ނޭޝަނަލް ޕާޓީ | Mohamed Nazim | 2021 | 1 | Islamic democracy Nationalism | |
| Party | Leader | Founded | Ideology | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | Justice Party ޢަދާލަތު ޕާޓީ Adhaalath pati | Sheikh Imran Abdulla | 2005 | Religious conservatism Islamism Islamic democracy | |
| MRM | Maldives Reform Movement މޯލްޑިވްސް ރިފޯމް މޫވްމެންޓް | Maumoon Abdul Gayoom | 2019 | Political Islam Nationalism | |
| MTWD | Maldives Third Way Democrats މޯލްޑިވްސް ތަރޑް ވޭ ޑިމޮކެރެޓްސް | Ahmed Adeeb | 2018 | Third Way | |
| PNF | People's National Front ޕީޕަލްސް ނެޝެނަލް ފްރޮންޓް | Abdulla Yameen | 2023 | Social conservatism | |
| PPM | Progressive Party of Maldives ޕްރޮގްރެސިވް ޕާޓީ އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް | Mohamed Muizzu | 2011 | Religious nationalism Right-wing populism | |
| DEM | The Democrats ދަ ޑިމޮކްރެޓްސް | Mohamed Nasheed | 2023 | Liberal conservatism Parliamentarism | |
On March 12, 2013, President Waheed ratified a new 'Political Party Bill', [2] replacing the guidelines established in 2005, when a multi-party system was created in the country. The bill saw the raising of the minimum number of members required to register a political party from 3000 to 10,000. With the ratification of the bill, all political parties which did not have 10,000 members registered were dissolved.
The following is a list of parties dissolved under the new law:
| Party | Leader (at time of dissolution) | Founded | Ideology | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA | People's Alliance ޕީޕަލްސް އެލަޔަންސް | Ahmed Nazim | 2008 | ||
| DQP | Dhivehi Qaumee Party ދިވެހި ޤައުމީ ޕާޓީ | Hassan Saeed | 2009 | ||
| GIP | National Unity Party ޤައުމީ އިއްތިޚާދު Gaumee itthihaad | Mohamed Waheed Hassan | 2008 | Social democracy Environmentalism | |
| IDP | Islamic Democratic Party އިސްލާމިކް ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ | Hassan Zareer | 2005 | Islamism Islamic democracy | |
| MSDP | Maldives Social Democratic Party ދިވެހިރައްޔިތުންގެ ސޯޝަލް ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ | Reeko Ibrahim Manik | 2006 | ||
| PP | People's Party ޕީޕަލްސް ޕާޓީ | Ahmed Riyaz | 2007 | ||
| MNC | Maldives National Congress މޯލްޑިވިއަން ނެޝަނަލް ކޮންގްރެސް | Ali Amjad (Deputy) | 2007 | ||
| SLP | Social Liberal Party ސޯޝަލް ލިބަރަލް ޕާޓީ | Mazlaan Rasheed | 2007 | Social liberalism | |
| MLP | Poverty Alleviating Party މޯލްޑިވިއަން ލޭބަރ ޕާޓީ | Ahmed Moosa (Deputy) | 2008 | Socialism | |
| MRM | Maldives Reform Movement މޯލްޑިވްސް ރިފޯމް މޫވްމަންޓް | Mohamed Munnavaru | 2011 | ||
| MLSDP | Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party މޯލްޑިވްސް ލޭބަރ އެންޑް ސޯޝަލް ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ | Ahmed Shiham | 2019 | Social democracy | |
| DRP | Maldivian People's Party ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޕާޓީ Dhivehi rayyithunge paatee | Abdulla Jabir | 2005 | Conservatism Populism Islamic democracy | |
The First Republic of the Maldives had only one party, the Rayyithunge Muthagaddim Party which lasted for 4 years.
| Party | Leader (at time of dissolution) | Founded | Ideology | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMP | Rayyithunge Muthagaddim Party ރައްޔިތުންގެ މުތައްގަދިމް ޕާޓީ | Mohamed Amin Didi | 1950 | Nationalism | |
The history of the Maldives is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia and Indian Ocean. The modern nation is formed of 26 natural atolls, comprising 1194 islands. Historically, the Maldives has held strategic importance due to its location on the major marine routes of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives's nearest neighbors are the British Indian Ocean Territory, Sri Lanka and India. The United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, and some Indian kingdoms have had cultural and economic ties with the Maldives for centuries. In addition to these countries, Maldivians also traded with Aceh and many other kingdoms in what is today Indonesia and Malaysia. The Maldives provided the primary source of cowrie shells, which were then used as currency throughout Asia and parts of the East African coast. Most probably, Maldives were influenced by Kalingas of ancient India who were earliest sea traders to Sri Lanka and the Maldives from India, responsible for the spread of Buddhism. Stashes of Chinese crockery found buried in various locations in the Maldives also show that there was direct or indirect trade contact between China and the Maldives. In 1411 and 1430, the Chinese admiral Zheng He (鄭和) visited the Maldives. The Chinese also became the first country to establish a diplomatic office in the Maldives when the Chinese nationalist government based in Taipei opened an embassy in Malé in 1966. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China has since replaced this office.
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In June of 2005, the members of the People's Majlis unanimously voted to legally recognize political parties.
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| Defunct parties |
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