A total of eighty-five seats in the Maldivian parliament are set to be decided when voters head to the polling precincts on March 22.
This is only the second such elections in the Maldives after 2009 when the country held its first-ever multi-party polls to elect representatives to its unicameral legislature known as the People’s Majilis of the Maldives. Political parties were only legalized in this small island republic in 2005.
The Maldives, which lie in the Indian Ocean, is composed of 20 administrative atolls in addition to the capital city of Malé. By law, every administrative region is entitled to a minimum of two elected members, with additional members elected if the population of the administrative division is over 5,000 people. It is headed by President Abdullah Yameen, who won in last year’s presidential elections.
Observes expect the 2014 elections to be tightly-contested as the numerous political parties have thrown their hats into the ring.
The Maldivian political arena is dominated by parties that include Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Jumhoree Party, Adhaalath Party, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).
The country has some 230,000 registered voters in 2014.
Photo courtesy of Minivannews
