Maldives Opposition Presidential Primary Elections on 30 May

The Maldives’ largest political party, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has announced the date for its presidential primary elections, which will take place on 30 May.

The MDP opened nominations for the primaries on 15 May, and all party members are eligible to contest. 

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has already registered his decision to run in the primaries. The primary elections will be held according to one-member-one-vote, and ballot boxes will be placed across the Maldives, as well as in foreign countries, such as Sri Lanka, that are home to large numbers of Maldivians. 

According to the Constitution of the Maldives, presidential elections must take place between 30 and 120 days before the existing President’s term of office expires. President Yameen was sworn in on 17 November 2013 for a five-year term. 

Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen stands accused of a host of human rights abuses and constitutional violations as well as massive corruption, involvement in money laundering, UN sanctions busting and tilting the country’s traditionally pro-India foreign policy towards Beijing. 

The presidential elections in the Maldives are being keenly observed across Asia and beyond, especially following the shock results of the recent Malaysian elections, which many viewed as a referendum on corruption that resulted in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ouster through the ballot box. With this in mind, many political observers note that the future of democracy in the Maldives hangs in the balance of the upcoming polls.