Maldives
The Maldives performs in the mid-range across all categories of the Global State of Democracy framework. It is in the bottom 25 per cent of the world’s countries regarding Freedom of Religion and in the top 25 per cent with Electoral Participation. Over the last five years, it has experienced significant democratic expansion, with gains in several factors of Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation. The Maldives is an upper-middle-income country, heavily reliant on tourism, fishing and boatbuilding. The economy of the Maldives has grown rapidly in recent decades and showed resilience and strong recovery after the loss of tourist revenue during Covid-19. Improvements in health and education have also brought a steady increase to the country’s standing in the Human Development Index.
Formerly a British colony, the Maldives became an independent nation in 1965. The country’s constitution has been amended a total of six times—the most recent of these, in 2008, was an attempt to improve democratic norms, the rule of law, and judicial independence. That same year the country saw its first freely elected president, Mohamed Nasheed. After 2013, Maldives experiences a period of increasing authoritarianism, including the withdrawal from the Commonwealth over foreign criticism of the status of the country’s democratic institutions, individual freedoms, and the rule of law. In 2018, the political crisis worsened over President Abdulla Yameen’s refusal to comply with a judicial ruling ordering the release of political dissidents from prison; many had also disappeared or been killed. That same year, opposition parties united in a successful effort to oust Yameen from power. The new government has made strides in improving democratic norms and strengthening the rule of law. In 2020, it rejoined the Commonwealth after evidence of successful reforms.
Corruption is frequently a major issue in the Maldives, as numerous leaders have been implicated in various money laundering and bribery scandals in recent years, including a former president. Issues of religious identity have also divided Maldivian society, as the Parliament has taken steps to solidify Islam’s status as the state religion. Gender Equality has significantly improved in recent years due to progress achieved through laws and measures promoting gender equality such as the National Gender Equality Action Plan, which aims at reaching the Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality, or an amendment to also extend the Sexual Offences Act to married couples. Nonetheless, long-standing provisions remain discriminatory against women, also regarding their political representation and gender-based violence is widespread. Another concern is rising religious fundamentalism as well as discrimination and arrests targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals.
It will be important to watch whether recent improvements continue, especially as significant human rights concerns persist. Recent incidents of prisoner torture and life-threatening conditions in Maldivian custody are of concern. Additionally, plans to reinstate the death penalty and failures to enacts critical reforms for Freedom of Expressions remain worrying. The country has also seen progress in several key areas, especially with regards to countering violent extremism and labor rights. Furthermore, attention should be paid to the country’s measures and initiatives to increase climate resilience as it is one of the most heavily impacted by the effects of climate change, particularly rising sea levels, beach erosion, severe weather events.
Last Updated: July 2024
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
April 2025
Judges suspended in the midst of constitutional review
Three Supreme Court judges were suspended in April 2024 in what they allege is an intimidation campaign by the President and Attorney General to compel them to side with the government in the judicial review of a constitutional amendment. The government cited an ongoing disciplinary investigation against the justices as the reason for the suspensions, but the justices deny the allegations. The amendment in question, passed in November 2024, established an anti-defection law for members of parliament. The amendment process was also criticized for being rushed and lacking proper legal consultation. Collectively, these developments are seen as undermining judicial independence and increasing the risk of political interference in the courts. The United Nations and rights experts raised serious concerns over the suspensions.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, Devdiscourse, Raajje, Jurist, Transparency International
April 2024
Ruling party secures supermajority in parliamentary election
The Maldives parliamentary election on 21 April delivered a landslide victory for President Mohamed Muizzu’s ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which secured 66 out of the 93-member house seats, while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party won 12 seats. Voter turnout was approximately 73.9 per cent, down from 81.3 per cent in 2019. According to media reports, female representation dropped to three women winning seats, down one from the 2019 election. Election observers noted that the electoral process was conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner.
Sources: Election Commission of Maldives, Maldives Financial Review, BBC News, International IDEA, ORF, Raajje MV, ANFREL, PSM News
December 2023
Parliament passes two landmark labour rights bills
On 18 December, Parliament passed the Industrial Relations (IR) Bill and the Occupation Safety and Health (OSH) Bill aimed at strengthening workers’ rights. The IR bill establishes a legal framework protecting workers' constitutional rights, including the right to strike, form trade unions and freedom of speech. The OSH similarly seeks to protect workers from potential workplace health hazards and harms, establishing procedures to report injuries and provide compensation. Rights advocates have hailed the bills as a victory for unions and the working class in Maldives after a decade-long campaign to enhance workers' rights. President Mohamed Muizzu ratified both bills on 2 January 2024.
Sources: International Federation of Journalists, Maldives Financial Review, ITUC Asia Pacific, Solidarity Center
September 2023
Mohammed Muizzu wins presidential election
Mohammed Muizzu, the opposition candidate from the Progressive Alliance (a coalition of the Progressive Party of Maldives and Peoples National Congress), won the presidential run-off on 30 September with 54 per cent of the vote, defeating Ibrahim Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party. The run-off followed the 9 September election, where no candidate secured the minimum 50 per cent of required votes. Voter turnout increased from 79.98 per cent on 9 September to 87.31 per cent on 30 September. A record eight candidates ran in the election, with no female candidates. Transparency Maldives reported overall peaceful elections despite isolated incidents of violence.
Sources: The Associated Press, IFES, Election Commission of Maldives, Transparency Maldives
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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023
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Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time
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