Politics
Through a resolution unanimously passed by 1,119 delegates who attended the PNC congress, it was decided to award the 2028 presidential ticket to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu without a primary, and party chairperson Abdul Raheem Abdulla has handed over the ticket to him. While Dhonbileh Ahmed spoke regarding the MDP presidential primary, the Elections Commission faced criticism concerning PNF's membership campaign. Rasheeda Yoosuf called for an end to state funding for political parties. Although the opposition alleged attempts to sell 500 hectares of land from Rasmale' to the UAE's Eagle Hills company, President Muizzu and Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib denied the allegations, stating it was a lease. The newspaper "Adhadhu" filed a lawsuit in the Civil Court seeking to invalidate the decision barring its journalists from attending President's Office press conferences.
The special congress of the People's National Congress (PNC) was successfully concluded on Saturday, 19 September 2026, and the party ticket for the 2028 presidential election was officially presented to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. At the closing ceremony of this congress, following the ticket's presentation to President Muizzu in accordance with the unanimous decision of party members, the party officially commenced the political work necessary to elect him for the upcoming term. Addressing the closing session of the congress, President Muizzu expressed his gratitude to the general members and leadership of the party for their trust in him, and assured that his work for national development and the welfare of the people will proceed without cessation.
Rashida Yoosuf called on September 19, 2026, for a complete halt to the allocation of state budget funds to political parties. She made this call stating that spending large amounts from the state finances to run political parties is not the most appropriate approach considering the current situation. She further noted that rather than granting financial allowances to political parties from public funds, it is far more necessary to utilize that money for other important national services. Following this call to stop providing state funds to political parties, significant attention has been drawn to this topic both in the Maldivian political arena and among the general public.
Major criticism has been directed at the Elections Commission in connection with membership recruitment activities carried out by the People's National Front (PNF) on 19 September 2026. While the party conducted an extensive drive to recruit members, criticism and questions arose regarding the Elections Commission's role in verifying the political party registry and the legitimacy of members. In addition, the public and political figures have expressed concern over the procedures through which individuals are registered to parties and the extent of the commission's oversight of these matters.
Major political and public concerns have emerged over allegations that a large portion of the Rasmale project is set to be sold to a Dubai company. In this matter, the opposition alleges that deciding to hand over a large portion of the land reclaimed from Fushidhiggaru lagoon to a foreign private company—after promising housing hope to the citizens—is detrimental to national interests and equivalent to selling off state land. However, regarding these allegations, the government stated that no land from Rasmale has been sold into foreign ownership, and that any land allocation transactions will be carried out within the legal framework and in accordance with established regulations.
A decision has been made to file a lawsuit over the barring of journalists from the "Adhadhu" newspaper from attending government press conferences. The issue was submitted to court noting that journalists from the newspaper are being excluded from official government press conferences, obstructing the right to seek and obtain information. This step was taken to secure rights within the legal framework, as such actions hinder fair information coverage. Furthermore, efforts required to seek justice through the judicial process in this matter are currently underway.
On 19 September 2026, former Member of Parliament Ahmed Mahloof (Dhonbileth Ahmed) made important remarks regarding the presidential primary of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). He highlighted that the primary held to select the party's presidential candidate for the upcoming presidential election is a crucial step toward strengthening internal democracy and further consolidating the party. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of prioritizing the party's interests and working together collectively, despite the presence of competition within the primary. With these remarks, he appealed to the general members of MDP to participate in determining the party's future.