PNC Secure 66 Seats in Parliamentary Elections

The initial results from the Parliamentary Elections held on Sunday to elect the 20th Parliament of the Maldives indicate that 66 candidates who ran on the ruling party People’s National Congress (PNC) tickets have clinched their seats.

Contrary to expectations, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which held a majority in the previous parliament, experienced a notable setback, winning only 12 constituencies this time. 

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Independent candidates, along with representatives from the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), Jumhoori Party (JP), and Maldives National Party (MNP), also secured victories in the elections.

To attain a super majority, the PNC aimed to secure at least 70 of the 93 seats. While falling short of this target individually, the PNC, in conjunction with its coalition partners MDA, JP, MNP, and supported independent candidates, managed to surpass the threshold, resulting in a total of 74 aligned parliament members.

Of note is the unprecedented success of independent candidates, with 11 securing seats, indicating a shift towards diverse political representation.

The election results reflect a significant setback for the MDP, which contested in over 90 constituencies but only managed to secure 12 seats. Even seasoned MPs, who had served multiple terms, faced defeat, underscoring the extent of the party’s loss compared to the previous election, where they secured 65 seats.

The Democrats, led by former president and speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed, faced disappointment as none of its candidates secured seats despite contesting 39 constituencies. Similarly, the Adhaalath Party also failed to win any seats in the election.