Maldives' PNC Party Wins Landslide Victory in 2024 Parliamentary Elections

The People's National Congress (PNC) party, led by Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, has secured a landslide victory in the 2024 parliamentary elections, winning 68 out of the 93 seats. The official results are expected to be declared on April 22, 2024.

Qasim Ibrahim, the leader of the Jumhoory Party, claimed that the PNC's overwhelming win demonstrates that the Maldivian people reject the allegations against President Muizzu and his administration. "The election results reflect the public's endorsement of President Muizzu, rather than former President Yameen," Gasim stated. He emphasized that the president's triumph was due to widespread support for Muizzu, not any particular individual or reserved seat for a specific candidate.

Gasim also noted that despite the backing of former president Abdulla Yameen, none of the candidates fielded by the opposition People's National Front (PNF) party emerged victorious. "This indicates a rejection of the continuous accusations against President Muizzu and his government by the Maldivian people," Gasim said.

The election was critical for President Muizzu, as the opposition had demanded a probe and impeachment over alleged corruption, which he refuted. Muizzu, seen as a pro-China politician, had requested India to withdraw military personnel and signed defense and infrastructure deals with China. The Maldives is a key maritime neighbor for India in the Indian Ocean region, and the election outcome could impact India's strategic interests.

Why this matters: The PNC's landslide victory in the Maldives' parliamentary elections has significant implications for the country's political landscape and its relations with regional powers. The outcome could shape the Maldives' foreign policy and strategic alignments in the Indian Ocean region, particularly with regard to China and India.

Transparency Maldives (TM) expressed concern over the lack of monitoring of vote buying and weakness in speedy and successful investigations and enforcement in such cases during the elections. TM reported that the election day's proceedings were generally transparent and well-administered, with the election being peaceful overall. However, they called for immediate measures to address wider issues, including vote buying, lack of transparency in political finance, abuse of state resources, and barriers for women's equal participation in the electoral processes.

According to Election Commission member Hassan Zakariya, around 75% of eligible voters cast their ballots in the parliamentary elections. "The voter turnout was on average compared to previous parliamentary elections, typically ranging between 60-70%," Zakariya stated. He also noted that the election went smoothly, with no major incidents, and was deemed free, fair, and transparent by both foreign observers and the public.

Key Takeaways

• PNC party led by Maldives President Muizzu wins 68 of 93 parliamentary seats.
• Opposition claims election results reflect public endorsement of Muizzu, not Yameen.
• Muizzu seen as pro-China, outcome may impact India's strategic interests in region.
• Transparency Maldives expresses concerns over vote buying and lack of transparency.
• Around 75% of eligible voters cast ballots, election deemed free, fair, and transparent.