Parliamentary elections were held in the Maldives on 21 April 2024, having previously been scheduled for 17 March. The election date was changed to April after President Mohamed Muizzu ratified election postponement bill by the People's Majlis passed on 28 February. Due to Grade 7, 8 and 9 exams scheduled for 16–27 April clashing with the parliamentary election date, the Ministry of Education decided to bring forward the tests to 27 March–25 April.

The result was a landslide victory for Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) and a heavy defeat for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which won a similar landslide in the 2019 elections. The results were seen as an endorsement of Muizzu's plan to press ahead with closer economic cooperation with China and a rebuke of the pro-India MDP, which had sought to disrupt efforts to realign Maldivian diplomacy.

Background The election was held amid a dispute between President Mohamed Muizzu and the outgoing People's Majlis, which blocked several of his initiatives as well as the appointment of three of his nominated cabinet members.

Electoral system The 93 seats in the People's Majlis were elected in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system. Prior to the elections, the number of seats was increased from 87 to 93, with six new seats created.

Constituencies Seats in the People's Majlis are split in conformity of Article 10 of the Electoral Constituencies Act which emphasizes stabilization of equal balance amid representation of parliamentary seats. The Act stipulates that two representatives must be appointed for a populace of 5000 or fewer in an administrative division with an additional seat allocated to account for a population surge of another 5000 constituents.

Consequent to the observation of population increases across several regions within the last five years, the number of constituencies was increased to 93 with six new constituencies added to the earlier 87 seats in the 19th parliamentary term.

List of constituenciesSL No.CodeConstituencyVoters1A01 Hoarafushi Constituency3,5402A02Ihavandhoo Constituency3,4573A03Baarashu Constituency3,4834A04Dhidhoo Constituency3,0785A05 Kelaa Constituency3,1886B01Hanimaadhoo Constituency3,1287B02Nolhivaram Constituency3,3168B03 Vaikaradhoo Constituency2,8139B04Kulhudhuffushi Uthuru Constituency3,55910B05 Kulhudhuffushi Dhekunu Constituency3,51411B06Makunudhoo Constituency3,45712C01 Kanditheemu Constituency3,51013C02Milandhoo Constituency3,08514C03 Komandoo Constituency3,41215C04Funadhoo Constituency3,40016D01Kendhikulhudhoo Constituency3,26717D02 Manadhoo Constituency3,13918D03Velidhoo Constituency3,03019D04Holhudhoo Constituency3,06320E01 Alifushi Constituency3,63521E02 Ungoofaaru Constituency3,31322E03Dhuvaafaru Constituency3,47923E04 Inguraidhoo Constituency3,57424E05 Maduvvari Constituency3,36825F01Thulhaadhoo Constituency3,42626F02 Eydhafushi Constituency2,52727F03Kendhoo Constituency2,59128F04 Hithaadhoo Constituency2,40129G01Hinnavaru Constituency3,80830G02Naifaru Constituency4,09431G03 Kurendhoo Constituency2,08932H01Kaashidhoo Constituency2,85333H02Thulusdhoo Constituency2,07434H03Maafushi Constituency2,82535H04Huraa Constituency2,34536I01 Maamigili Constituency2,87837I02Mahibadhoo Constituency2,68538I03 Dhangethi Constituency2,53839J01 Felidhoo Constituency1,03940J02Keyodhoo Constituency91541K01Dhiggaru Constituency2,69842K02 Mulaku Constituency2,79543L01Bileydhoo Constituency2,45944L02Nilandhoo Constituency1,95045M01 Meedhoo Constituency2,69746M02Kudahuvadhoo Constituency3,15547N01 Vilufushi Constituency2,90548N02 Thimarafushi Constituency2,87449N03 Kinbidhoo Constituency3,26850N04Guraidhoo Constituency2,70751O01 Isdhoo Constituency3,30552O02Gamu Constituency3,86953O03Fonadhoo Constituency3,06454O04Maavashu Constituency3,03855P01 Vilingili Constituency2,74256P02Dhaandhoo Constituency2,62357P03Gemanafushi Constituency2,96758P04 Kolamaafushi Constituency2,35859Q01 Thinadhoo Uthuru Constituency2,95460Q02 Thinadhoo Dhekunu Constituency2,67961Q03Madaveli Constituency3,14162Q04Faresmaathodaa Constituency3,49463Q05 Gadhdhoo Constituency3,45564R01 Fuvahmulaku Uthuru Constituency3,64865R02Fuvahmulaku Medhu Constituency3,07066R03Fuvahmulaku Dhekunu Constituency2,84367S01Hulhudhoo Constituency2,84368S02 Feydhoo Dhekunu Constituency2,70669S03Maradhoo Constituency2,75470S04 Hithadhoo Uthuru Constituency4,02871S05Hithadhoo Medhu Constituency4,28072S06 Hithadhoo Dhekunu Constituency4,07173S07Addu Meedhoo Constituency2,28774S08Feydhoo Uthuru Constituency2,98975T01 Hulhumaale Dhekunu Constituency3,19376T02Medhu henveyru Constituency3,01077T03Henveyru Dhekunu Constituency2,67578T04Henveyru Uthuru Constituency2,40279T05 Galolhu Uthuru Constituency3,91480T06 Galolhu Dhekunu Constituency4,03381T07 Machangoalhi Uthuru Constituency2,84282T08 Mahchangoalhee Dhekunu Constituency2,69183T09Maafannu Uthuru Constituency3,87884T10Maafannu Hulhangu Constituency3,55585T11Maafannu Medhu Constituency3,69786T12Maafannu Dhekunu Constituency2,88487T13Vilimalé Constituency3,22788T14Henveyru Hulhangu Constituency2,80689T15Mahchangoalhi Medhu Constituency2,82090T16 Hulhumalé Medhu Constituency4,23091T17Hulhumalé Uthuru Constituency3,22092U01Mathiveri Constituency2,95093U02Thoddoo Constituency3,024Total284,663

Campaign The 93 seats were contested by a total of 368 candidates.

Conduct The Parliamentary Elections Regulations include a comprehensive code of conduct aimed at regulating the behavior of candidates and their supporters during the campaign period. However, concerns were raised over restrictions imposed by the code on freedom of expression and campaigning.

Despite these concerns, the campaign leading up to the parliamentary elections was relatively peaceful. The Maldives Police Service indicated that they did not anticipate any major disruptions, disturbances, or protests either during the campaign period or on Election Day. However, there were potential risks of some disturbances, particularly due to the alleged links of several candidates to gangs.

One key concern was the possibility of disagreements or clashes between supporters of rival candidates, especially in light of incidents during the People's National Congress (PNC) and Maldivian Democratic Party primaries. The Maldives Police Service said they were prepared to handle any such scenarios that may arise.

People's National Congress For this election, the PNC entered into a coalition agreement with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), but solely fielded candidates from the PNC, contesting to secure all but three seats this term. The constituencies they had relinquished offered leeway for political leaders of Jumhooree Party (Qasim Ibrahim vying for the Maamigili seat), Maldives Development Alliance (MDA)'s Ahmed Siyam running for the Meedhoo Constituency and Maldives National Party (MNP)'s Mohamed Nazim contesting for the North Maafannu seat, with Special Advisor to the President, Abdul Raheem Abdulla affirming that these seats were forfeited in a bid to display respect to these leaders.

Candidates The People's National Congress had 90 candidates, followed by the Maldivian Democratic Party with 89 candidates. There were 130 independent candidates among 93 constituencies and four candidates from the Adhaalath Party and the Jumhooree Party. Two candidates contested from the Maldives National Party.

Results Allegations of vote buying and undue influence were made on election day. Initial results suggested that the president's party, the People's National Congress was on course to win at least 70 seats. Maldivian media described the results as giving a supermajority for the PNC, with its numbers allowing it to achieve the two-thirds in the People's Majlis that is required to amend the constitution. The PNC's successes came at the cost of the MDP, which itself held a supermajority in the outgoing Majlis and lost its strongholds of Malé, Addu City and Kulhudhuffushi to the PNC.

Aftermath MDP chair Fayyaz Ismail congratulated the PNC for winning the election but vowed that it would continue to "hold it accountable as responsible opposition". Several independent candidates who won in the election later joined the PNC, pushing its total number of seats to 73.

Reactions The United States Department of State said it was "glad to hear observers reported no major issues or irregularities, and that the results are indicative of the will of the people".

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