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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. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDP | Maldivian Democratic Party ދިވެހިރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ Dhivehi ra yitungedimokretik paatee | Abdulla Shahid | 2005 | 56 | Liberal conservatism Islamic democracy | |
| JP | Republican Party ޖުމްހޫރީ ޕާޓީ Jumhooree paatee | Qasim Ibrahim | 2008 | 3 | Economic liberalism Social conservatism Islamic democracy | |
| PPM | Progressive Party of Maldives ޕްރޮގްރެސިވް ޕާޓީ އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް | N/A | 2011 | 4 | Political Islam Conservatism Nationalism | |
| PNC | People's National Congress ޕީޕަލްސް ނެޝެނަލް ކޮންގްރެސް | Abdul Raheem Abdulla | 2019 | 3 | Conservatism Political Islam | |
| MDA | Maldives Development Alliance މޯލްޑިވްސް ޑިވެލޮޕްމަންޓް އެލަޔަންސް | Ahmed Shiyam | 2012 | 2 | Economic liberalism Political Islam | |
| MNP | Maldives National Party މޯލްޑިވްސް ނޭޝަނަލް ޕާޓީ | Mohamed Nazim | 2021 | 3 | Islamic democracy Nationalism | |
| TD | The Democrats ދަ ޑިމޮކްރެޓްސް | Mohamed Nasheed | 2023 | 12 | Liberal conservatism Parliamentarism | |
| MRM | Maldives Reform Movement މޯލްޑިވްސް ރިފޯމް މޫވްމެންޓް | Maumoon Abdul Gayoom | 2019 | 0 | Political Islam | |
| Party | Leader | Founded | Ideology | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | Justice Party ޢަދާލަތު ޕާޓީ Adhaalath pati | Sheikh Imran Abdulla | 2005 | Religious conservatism Islamism Islamic democracy | |
| 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 | (unknown) | |
On March 12, 2013, President Waheed ratified a new 'Political Party Bill', [1] 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 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; and the modern nation consisting of 26 natural atolls, comprising 1194 islands. Historically, the Maldives held a strategic importance due to its location on the major marine routes of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives' nearest neighbours 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 main source of cowrie shells, then used as a 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 and were 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. This office has since been replaced by the embassy of the People's Republic of China.
The politics of the Maldives take place in the framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the Head of Government. Executive power is exercised by the government. The President heads the executive branch and appoints the Cabinet; like many presidential democracies, each member of the cabinet need to be approved by the Parliament. The President, along with their pick for vice president, is directly elected by the denizens to a five-year term by a secret ballot. Once in office, they could be re-elected to a second 5-year term, which is the limit allowed by the Constitution. The current President of the Maldives is Mohamed Muizzu, when his predecessor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih lost the 2023 Maldivian presidential election.
The Maldivian Democratic Party is the first political party formed in the Republic of Maldives with a total membership of 52,142 individuals as of 5 March 2024. The 2019 parliamentary election was the first time one party was able to secure a majority in parliament without forming a coalition.
The Constitution of the Maldives is the supreme law of the country of Maldives. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the Republic of Maldives, sets out the rights and duties of the citizens of the Maldives, and defines the structure of the Government of the Maldives. The current Constitution of the Maldives was ratified by the then president, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, on 7 August 2008, and came into effect immediately, replacing and repealing the Constitution of 1998.
Mohamed Nasheed GCSK, also known as Anni, is a Maldivian politician and activist who served as president of the Maldives from 2008 until his resignation in 2012. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he subsequently served as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis from May 2019 until his resignation in November 2023. He is the first democratically elected president of the Maldives and the only president to resign from office. He is currently a member of The Democrats.
The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party was a political party of the Maldives. On 2 June 2005, the nation's 50-member parliament voted unanimously to allow and operate political parties in Maldives. DRP subsequently submitted its registration on 21 July 2005 and was the second registered political party in the Republic of the Maldives.
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Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 7 February 2012 to 17 November 2013, having succeeded to the office following the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed, under whom he served as Vice President. He had previously worked as a news anchor, a teacher, a principle, a United Nations international civil servant with UNICEF, UNDP and UNESCO, and as member of the Maldivian Parliament.
The Administrative Divisions of the Maldives refers to the various units of government that provide local government services in the Maldives. According to the Decentralization Act 2010, the administrative divisions of the Maldives would consist of atolls, islands, and cities; each administered by their own local council, under the basic terms of home rule. Geographically, the Maldives are formed by a number of natural atolls plus a few islands and isolated reefs which form a pattern from North to South. Administratively, there are currently 189 islands, 18 atolls and 4 cities in the Maldives.
Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on 8 and 23 October 2008, the first democratic elections in the country. As no candidate won a majority in the first round, a runoff was held on 28 October between the two candidates among the contestants who received the most votes, incumbent president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed, who received the second most votes after Gayoom in the first round. Nasheed was elected to the office after winning a majority in the runoff, unseating incumbent president Gayoom who held the office for six terms, lasting three decades.
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Ilyas Hussain Ibrahim is a Maldivian politician. He was an official in the Ministry of Atolls Development from 1990 to 2004, then a member of the Special Majilis (parliament) representing A.DH Atoll from 2004 to 2008. Between 2008 and 2013 he was Deputy Minister or Minister of State for Immigration and Emigration, Housing and Environment, and then Defense and National Security.
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The 2011–2013 Maldives political crisis began as a series of peaceful protests that broke out in the Maldives on 1 May 2011. They would continue, eventually escalating into the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed in disputed circumstances in February 2012. Demonstrators were protesting what they considered the government's mismanagement of the economy and were calling for the ouster of President Nasheed. The main political opposition party in the country, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party led by the former president of the country Maumoon Abdul Gayoom accused President Nasheed of "talking about democracy but not putting it into practice." The protests occurred during the Arab Spring.
Husnu Al Suood born in Meedhoo is a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Maldives since 8 December 2019. He was the Attorney General of the Maldives from June 2009 to August 2010. He served as the Chief Judge of the Civil Court and as a member of the Judicial Service Commission of Maldives. He also served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission of the Maldives from 2003 to 2005. As a member of the Special Majlis Suood participated in drafting the current constitution of the Republic of Maldives.
Ali Waheed was the Tourism Minister of Maldives, a Maldivian politician, former MP and the Chairperson of Jumhoory Party. He was also the Chairman of New Radiant Sports Club.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, commonly known as Ibu, is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 2018 to 2023.
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