President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that holding presidential and parliamentary elections concurrently would make the electoral process fairer and more independent than the current system.

Addressing a press briefing on Monday, the President said he believes the majority of citizens support the idea of concurrent elections, describing his proposal as non-partisan and one that would be widely acceptable to the public.

President Dr Muizzu pointed out that under the existing system, parliamentary elections are held six months after the presidential election, giving candidates from the ruling party the opportunity to campaign on the basis that they represent the Government. He argued that holding both elections on the same day would eliminate this advantage, as no parliamentary candidate would be able to claim association with a sitting president whose identity would not yet be known.

The President said the current system is fundamentally unjust, as it allows ruling party candidates to leverage their ties to the government or the presidential candidate during campaigning. He noted that this has historically enabled ruling parties to secure supermajorities in parliament.

By holding both elections on the same day, the President argued that no single party would be able to dominate parliament in the same way, paving the way for a more diverse, multi-party legislature. He added that a parliament with representation from multiple parties would strengthen government accountability.

President Dr Muizzu also said that holding the two elections on the same day would encourage greater public participation in the parliamentary elections.

The President reaffirmed his commitment to bringing about meaningful electoral reform in the Maldives.