List of Maldivian presidential candidates

Sixteen people have run in the presidential elections in the Maldives since the first election in 1952. These elections determine the President of the Maldives, who serves as both head of state and head of government under the Constitution of the Maldives.[1]: 36  Presidential elections in the Maldives have taken place in both the First and Second republics.[2]

The first presidential election happened in 1952, during the First Republic of the Maldives. Mohamed Amin Didi along with his running mate, Ibrahim Muhammad Didi, won with 96% of the votes and were elected as president and vice president, respectively.[3] Under the 1968 Constitution, the People's Majlis chose a single presidential nominee from a list of candidates and a national referendum was held.[4] The nominee was either approved or rejected for a five-year term.[4] The second presidential election happened in the same year, where Ibrahim Nasir won with 97%.[5]

The 2008 election served as the first multiparty presidential election under the 2008 Constitution,[6] which introduced a direct popular vote and a two-term limit.[7]: 16–17  It was the second-most contested election, with six people participating from different political parties.[8][7]: 25  Mohamed Nasheed from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won the election and defeated the incumbent Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.[9] The election held in 2013 was the first and only presidential election to be annulled by the Supreme Court of the Maldives, following reports which claimed that dead people and people under the voting age had voted.[10] Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) defeated Nasheed in the re-run.[11]

The least-contested election under the 2008 constitution was the 2018 election, with two candidates from two parties.[12] Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the MDP defeated incumbent Yameen of the PPM.[12][13] President Yameen alleged that the election was rigged due to the use of disappearing ink; this claim was rejected by the Supreme Court.[14][15] The most-contested election was the 2023 election, with eight people participating from different political parties.[16] None of them reached the 50% needed to win so a second round was held in which the two leading candidates, Mohamed Muizzu of the People's National Congress (PNC) and the incumbent Solih, ran against each other;[17][18][1]: 37  Muizzu defeated Solih.[19]

List

List of Maldivian presidential candidates
Year # Portrait Candidate Party Vice Presidential candidate Votes Result Ref
1952 — Mohamed Amin Didi RMP Ibrahim Muhammad Unknown Won[3]
1968 — Ibrahim Nasir IND None Unknown Won[5]
1973 Unknown Won[20]
1978 — Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Vacant; No Vice president Unknown Won[21]
1983 57,913 Won[22]
1988 69,373 Won[23]
1993 Unknown Won[24]
1998 86,504 Won[25]
2003 DRP 102,909 Won[26]
2008 1 Qasim Ibrahim JP Ahmed Ali Sawaad 27,056 Lost [8][7]: 25 
2 Maumoon Abdul Gayoom DRP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali 71,731
(First Round)
82,121 (Second Round) 		Lost
3 Hassan Saeed IND Ahmed Shaheed 29,633 Lost
4 Mohamed Nasheed MDP Mohamed Waheed Hassan 44,293
(First Round)
97,222 (Second Round) 		Won
5 Ibrahim Ismail SLP Fathimath Nahid Shakir 1,382 Lost
6 Umar Naseer IDP Ahmed Rizwy 2,472 Lost
2013 1 Qasim Ibrahim JP Hassan Saeed[27] 48,131 Lost[28]
2 Mohamed Waheed Hassan IND Ahmed Thasmeen Ali[29] 10,750[a] Lost[28]
3 Abdulla Yameen PPM Mohamed Jameel Ahmed[31] 61,278
(First Round)
111,203 (Second Round) 		Won[28]
4 Mohamed Nasheed MDP Mustafa Lutfi[32] 96,764
(First Round)
105,181 (Second Round) 		Lost[28]
2018 1 Abdulla Yameen PPM Mohamed Shaheem[33] 96,052 Lost[34] [12]
2 Ibrahim Mohamed Solih MDP Faisal Naseem[35] 134,705 Won[34]
2023 1 Umar Naseer IND Ahmed Saleem[36] 6,343 Lost[37]
2 Hassan Zameel Mariyam Aleem[36] 327 Lost[37]
3 Ibrahim Mohamed Solih MDP Mohamed Aslam[36] 86,161
(First Round)
109,868 (Second Round) 		Lost[37][38]
4 Mohamed Muizzu PNC Hussain Mohamed Latheef[36] 101,635
(First Round)
129,159 (Second Round) 		Won[37][38]
5 Qasim Ibrahim JP Ameen Ibrahim[36] 5,460 Lost[37]
6 Ahmed Faris Maumoon IND Abdul Sattar Yoosuf[36] 2,979 Lost[37]
7 Ilyas Labeeb TD Hussain Amr[36] 15,839 Lost[37]
8 Mohamed Nazim MNP Ahmed Adheel Naseer[36] 1,907 Lost[37]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Votes annulled by the Supreme Court and he later dropped out[30]

References

  1. ^ a b "Constitution of the Maldives" (PDF). Constitution of the Maldives. The President's Office. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Maldives marks 48th Republic Day". PSM News. 12 November 2016. Archived from the original on 17 July 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b Amir, Hassan (December 2011). Islamism and Radicalism in the Maldives (PDF) (Thesis). Naval Postgraduate School. p. 24. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Freedom in the World 2007 - Maldives". RefWorld. Freedom House. 16 April 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Malediven, 27. September 1968 : Ibrahim Nasir als Präsident" [Maldives, September 27, 1968: Ibrahim Nasir as President]. Direct Democracy (in German). 27 September 1968. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  6. ^ "2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - Maldives". RefWorld. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 25 February 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  7. ^ a b c "Domestic Observation of the 2008 MALDIVIAN PRESDIENTIAL ELECTION" (PDF). Transparency Maldives. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b "Presidential Election 2008". Elections Commission. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
  9. ^ Ramesh, Randeep (29 October 2008). "Maldives human rights activist wins presidential election". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  10. ^ Robinson, J.J. (8 October 2013). "Maldives top court annuls September 7 presidential vote, sets new election". Yahoo News. Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Maldives Elections Commission confirms Yameen as president-elect". Business Standard. Indo-Asian News Service. 17 November 2013. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  12. ^ a b c "Presidential Election 2018 Statistics – Result". Elections Commission. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Maldives challenger Ibrahim Mohamed Solih wins presidency". Al Jazeera English. 24 September 2018. Archived from the original on 10 December 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Toppled Maldives Leader Blames Election Defeat On "Disappearing Ink"". NDTV. Agence France-Presse. 15 October 2018. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Maldives strongman's election defeat upheld by Supreme Court". The Straits Times. 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  16. ^ Udhma, Fathmath (8 August 2023). "8 candidates running for president this year". Raajje TV. Archived from the original on 18 April 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Fate of India ties, democracy in balance as Maldives votes in run-off". Al Jazeera English. 30 September 2023. Archived from the original on 13 October 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  18. ^ Ghafoor, Mimrah Abdul (3 October 2023). "Opposition's Mohamed Muizzu Wins Maldives' Presidential Election". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 9 September 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  19. ^ Junayd, Mohamed (1 October 2023). "Maldives opposition candidate Muizzu wins presidential vote". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  20. ^ "Maldives - HISTORY". Library of Congress Country Studies. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 31 December 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Malediven, 28. Juli 1978 : Maumoon Abdel Gayoom als Präsident" [Maldives, July 28, 1978: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as President]. Direct Democracy (in German). 28 July 1978. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Malediven, 30. September 1983 : Maumoon Abdel Gayoom als Präsident" [Maldives, September 30, 1983: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as President]. Direct Democracy (in German). 30 September 1983. Archived from the original on 10 August 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  23. ^ "Malediven, 23. September 1988 : Maumoon Abdel Gayoom als Präsident" [Maldives, September 23, 1988: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as President]. Direct Democracy (in German). 23 September 1988. Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  24. ^ The Far East and Australasia 2003. Psychology Press. 2002. p. 820. ISBN 9781857431339.
  25. ^ Nohlen, Dieter; Grotz, Florian; Hartmann, Christof, eds. (2001). Elections in Asia and the Pacific: The Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Oxford University Press. p. 595. ISBN 9780199249589.
  26. ^ "Maldives". IFES. Archived from the original on 1 May 2007.
  27. ^ Naahee, Mohamed (29 July 2013). "Former PPM Vice President backs resort tycoon Gasim Ibrahim for president". Maldives Independent. Archived from the original on 18 February 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026. Leader of the DQP Dr Hassan Saeed was subsequently appointed as the running mate of the coalition's presidential candidate, JP leader Gasim Ibrahim.
  28. ^ a b c d "Presidential Election 2013". Elections Commission. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  29. ^ Merrett, Neil (10 June 2013). "DRP leader Thasmeen unveiled as President Waheed's election running mate". Maldives Independent. Archived from the original on 16 February 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  30. ^ "Maldives President withdraws his candidacy from 2013 Presidential Election". The President's Office. 11 October 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  31. ^ Naish, Ahmed (11 May 2013). "Dr Jameel sacked from cabinet "for becoming PPM running mate"". Maldives Independent. Archived from the original on 6 April 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  32. ^ "Mohamed Nasheed selects Dr. Mustafa Lutfi as his Running Mate". Maldives Independent. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  33. ^ Ali, Humaam (7 July 2018). "Dr. Shaheem chosen as President Yameen's running mate". Raajje TV. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  34. ^ a b "3 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރ 2018 ވީ އާދީއްތަ ދުވަހު ބޭއްވުނު ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބުގެ ރަސްމީ ނަތީޖާ" [Results of the presidential election which occurred on Sunday 3 September 2018]. Maldivian Government Gazette (in Divehi). Elections Commission. 29 September 2018. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  35. ^ "Faisal Naseem is Maldives opposition's presidential running mate". Maldives Independent. 14 July 2018. Archived from the original on 13 October 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h "Candidates Confirmed for Presidential Election 2023". MV+. 8 August 2023. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g h "2023 ސެޕްޓެންބަރު 9 ވީ ހޮނިހިރު ދުވަހު ބޭއްވި ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބުގެ ރަސްމީ ނަތީޖާ" [Results of the presidential election which occurred on 9 September 2023 Saturday]. Maldivian Government Gazette (in Divehi). Elections Commission. 12 September 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  38. ^ a b "2023 ސެޕްޓެންބަރު 30 ވީ ހޮނިހިރު ދުވަހު ބޭއްވި ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބުގެ ދެވަނަ ބުރުގެ ރަސްމީ ނަތީޖާ" [Result of the second round of the presidential election which occurred on 30 September 2023 Saturday]. Maldivian Government Gazette (in Divehi). Elections Commission. 4 October 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
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