Four Political Parties Qualify for State Funding, says ECM
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu speaking at the People’s National Congress (PNC) rally on November 14, 2025 | Photo: President’s Office
The Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) has confirmed that four political parties met the membership threshold required to qualify for government financial grants allocated in the state budget.
According to the ECM, parties that had at least 10,000 registered members by 25 November — the day the state budget was passed — are eligible to receive funding. Based on this criterion, the following parties qualified:
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- People’s National Congress (PNC): 68,665 members
- Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP): 43,765 members
- Jumhooree Party: 13,456 members
- Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA): 9,011 members
Under the Political Parties Act, between 0.1 and 0.2 per cent of the annual state budget must be allocated to political parties. The funds are distributed among parties with more than 10,000 members, proportionate to their membership numbers.
The ECM also confirmed that the Adhaalath Party (AP) has been removed from the list of parties eligible for state funding for the first time. While the party had remained an annual recipient of budget funds until September 2025, it currently has 8,844 registered members, falling below the eligibility threshold.
In addition to the Adhaalath Party, several other registered political parties did not meet the minimum membership requirement. These include:
- Maldivian National Party (MNP): 5,836 members
- The Democrats: 3,547 members
- People’s National Front (PNF): 3,046 members
- Maldives Labour and Democratic Party (MLDP): 1,874 members
According to the ECM nine political parties are currently registered in the Maldives.
The Commission has previously announced changes to party membership procedures. From 1 January 2026, individuals who are not legally holding a political position will be able to leave or join political parties at their own discretion through the ECM’s special online portal, accessible via eFaas login. The ECM said the measure is intended to make membership changes more accessible and transparent.
