7 Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics
7 Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics
Population: 515,132
Head of Government: Dr. Mohamed Muizzu
Ruling party/coalition: People’s National Congress
Last election: Parliament: 21 April 2024, Presidential: September 2023
Next election: Parliament: 2029, Presidential: 2028
Number of registered voters: 284,663
Annual salary of member of legislature: MVR 990,000 or USD 63,644.7 (includes basic salary, living allowance and full committee allowance)
Year of study: 2025
Candidates spend between MVR 200,000–500,000 for primary elections and MVR 2–5 million for general elections. Some races cost up to MVR 15 million.
A large share (75–90%) of campaign budgets is spent on vote-buying, with a “market rate” of MVR 5,000 per vote. This includes direct payments, covering bills, or funding travel and appliances.
Funding comes from personal savings, business donations, and sometimes alleged to be coming from criminal or foreign entities. Informal loans from beneficiaries are common, often exchanged for government contracts or ‘favors’.
Party leaders have significant control over primary elections. The ruling party typically secures a parliamentary majority, reinforcing the idea that aligning with the government is necessary for access to resources
Candidates from the ruling party often use state resources, promising jobs in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and political appointments for votes.
Women face challenges due to societal norms, scrutiny over appearance and behavior, online harassment, and lack of financial resources. PwDs are systematically excluded from political participation and often used for public relations purposes during campaigns. Young people view politics as corrupt and inaccessible without connections or wealth. Those who engage often face public scrutiny and attacks.
Population: 515,132
Head of Government: Dr. Mohamed Muizzu
Ruling party/coalition: People’s National Congress
Last election: Parliament: 21 April 2024, Presidential: September 2023
Next election: Parliament: 2029, Presidential: 2028
Number of registered voters: 284,663
Annual salary of member of legislature: MVR 990,000 or USD 63,644.7 (includes basic salary, living allowance and full committee allowance)
Year of study: 2025
Key Findings
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Introduction
- The relationship between money and politics has been a pivotal issue in the Maldives, particularly since the adoption of a multi-party-political system in 2008. With elections serving as the cornerstone of representative democracy, the financial demands placed on candidates and political parties have grown exponentially, shaping the nature of political competition and governance and influencing electoral strategies, voter engagement, and, ultimately, political outcomes.
- Recent parliamentary elections in the Maldives have also often been shaped by the presidential elections that precede them. With shifts in political power having a cascading effect on parliamentary races by influencing party finances, shaping alliances, and impacting voter behaviour. Money too is increasingly important in determining electoral outcomes, as parties and candidates vie to consolidate influence and secure majorities.
- Although election success in the Maldives is not guaranteed by financial expenditure alone, few candidates can effectively compete without significant personal spending, support from external groups, or leveraging established family ties in politics. The heavy financial burden of political campaigns, coupled with a campaign culture that often prioritises personal and individual interests over policy discussions, risks undermining principles of accountability, inclusivity, and fair representation.
- This report explores the key drivers and patterns of political expenditure in the Maldives, examining costs incurred not only during campaign periods but also in the lead-up to and aftermath of elections. It analyses the economic dynamics and assess the broader implications of these financial pressures on Maldivian democracy by presenting findings that provide insights into electoral incentives, barriers to entry, and the financial sustainability of political engagement, along with recommendations which can contribute to reduced influence of money in Maldivian politics.
Recommendations: Election process reforms
- Combine Presidential and Parliamentary Elections: Synchronizing elections can reduce the ruling party’s advantage and encourage policy-based voting.
- Adopt Ranked-Choice or Proportional Voting: Ranked or proportional voting as well as restructuring constituencies into larger geographical units makes vote-buying more difficult and ensures better representation.
- Strengthen Legal Frameworks: Close gaps around vote-buying, improve enforcement, and introduce voter-specific offenses (e.g., criminalizing accepting funds without documentation).
- Establish whistleblower protection laws.
- Enhance Party Governance: Reduce barriers for women, youth, and PwDs by introducing quotas and policies to support them. Many countries (69) have internal gender quotas, while 120 mandate female candidate slates.
- Implement Legislative Quotas: Introduce temporary quotas for women in parliament, following global best practices where 61 countries legislate candidate quotas and 18 have reserved seats
Recommendations: Tackling vote buying
- Public Sector Reforms: Establish transparent scoring systems for public service allocation, procurement, and development projects to reduce MPs’ ability to manipulate these for political gain.
- Cap Public Sector Hiring: Formalize employment structures in SOEs to limit job-for-vote exchanges.
- Restrict Use of State Resources: Implement legal restrictions on government spending, public service distribution, and state-funded media during pre-election periods.
- Improve Government Efficiency: Increase transparency and simplify administrative procedures to reduce dependency on political connections.
- Enhance Campaign Finance Monitoring: Introduce tools to track campaign spending and promote accountability
Recommendations: Cultural and social norm shifts
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Conduct nationwide campaigns to educate voters on MPs’ roles, ethical voting, and political accountability.
- Coalition Efforts: Combine civil society, political, and public institutions efforts to sustain long-term reforms and shift electoral norms.
