Commonwealth commends conduct of parliamentary polls
Concerns included the small number of female candidates.
18 Jul 2019, 9:00 AM
A Commonwealth group that observed the April 6 parliamentary polls in the Maldives released its final report on Wednesday, commending the electoral body for delivering “peaceful, credible, transparent and inclusive elections.”
Led by former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, the group was deployed after the Maldives applied to rejoin the association following the change of government in November 2018. The observation report will contribute to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland’s informal assessment of the re-application process, according to the Commonwealth.
“We have been struck by the trust that voters appear to have in the electoral process itself,” Golding stated in the foreword. “Many aspects of the Maldivian electoral process are far advanced and can provide useful lessons across the Commonwealth.”
But the report raised concerns about the low participation of women as there were only 35 female candidates out of 386 contenders. It recommended “deliberate measures to ensure women occupy positions of leadership” and urged parliament and political parties to fully implement the 2016 Gender Equality Act.
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