Maldives' ruling party secures ‘supermajority’ in parliamentary elections

By Faruk Zorlu

The ruling People's National Congress (PNC) clinched a “supermajority” in Maldives’ parliamentary elections on Sunday, winning over 60 seats.

Over 200,000 Maldivians cast their votes in the polls, with 326 candidates competing for 93 seats, including six new ones, according to local sources.

The PNC fielded candidates for 90 seats, with 89 candidates from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), 39 from the Democrats, 10 from the Jumhoory Party (JP), four from the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), four from the Adhaalath Party (AP), two from the Maldives National Party (MNP) and 130 independent candidates, according to the Voice of Free Press (VFP) website.

Preliminary results showed the PNC winning over 60 seats, or roughly two-thirds of the total.

This majority does not include independent candidates supported by the PNC as well as those from allied parties like the MNP and the MDA.

In 2019, the MDP won 64 seats, while the opposition coalition secured only eight. In 2014, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) emerged victorious.

The MDP was the only ruling party to fail to secure a majority in recent history, during the 2009 elections.