"No party represents me": young voters on the April 4 elections

Supporters of the concurrent elections proposal – championed by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and the ruling People's National Congress – say it would cut costs and reduce election fatigue. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party warns it would make it easier for a single party to sweep both the executive and legislature in one swoop, weakening the checks and balances that come from voters being able to course-correct in a separate parliamentary vote.

Both decisions will be made against the backdrop of a steady decline in voter participation. Turnout has fallen in every election cycle since the first multi-party presidential election in 2008. Presidential election turnout dropped from a record 91 percent in 2013 to 79 percent in the first round in September 2023. Record numbers of voters deliberately spoiled their ballots in protest. In the April 2024 parliamentary elections, Malé trailed the national average by 13 points. Some polling stations in the capital recorded turnout below 50 percent.

Local council elections have historically drawn the fewest voters. There is little reason to expect Saturday's poll will reverse the trend. What follows are the voices of 20 young Maldivians, aged 18 to 35, on what the election means to them, or whether it means anything at all.

Of the 20 respondents, 13 said yes and seven said no. Outside of the capital, voters described concrete local stakes and logistical barriers. In Malé, the answers tended toward the abstract: duty, disgust, or both.

"Bullshit theater for bourgeois interests. No power ever comes to the people." – Anonymous, 27, artist, Malé

"Don't see a point in voting anymore. Nothing ever changes." – Anonymous, 27, freelancer, Malé

"I'm not in the country." – Lana Jaleel, 20, student

"I just really like to vote." – Mohamed Raishan Moosa, 29, lawyer, Malé

"Exercise my constitutional right to hate." – Fishie, 27, gamer, Malé

"I want to make an impact for the people of my country but I don't feel like my vote matters." – Mohamed Ilaan, 18, engineering coordinator, Malé

"The candidates nominated wouldn't potentially bring any changes to the current issues." – Anonymous, 25, HR professional, Malé

"I believe in the importance of exercising my right to vote." – Anonymous, 30, civil servant, Malé

"I will be abroad that day, unfortunately. I booked these tickets many months ago." – Anonymous, 29, lawyer, Malé

"Don't have a candidate I prefer." – Abdhulla Razy, 26, teacher, Malé

"Things have got to change." – Anonymous, 22, coach, Malé

"I believe that since we have the right to vote we should use it. I don't agree with the current government but I believe the power to vote will ease some of our grievances." – Anonymous, 18, intern, Malé

"No particular reason, voting because I have to." – Ali Rihan Rasheed, 21, admin staff, Malé

"I'm planning to vote on Saturday. I just vote how my father tells me to. My father is very politically involved. So as long as he's alive, I think I will vote as he tells me to." – Anonymous, 21, police officer, Laamu Gan

"I work at a resort near Malé. I'm planning to go back home for the vote." – Anonymous, 24, resort worker, Laamu Hithadhoo

"Unfortunately I cannot vote this time around because I cannot go to vote since it's Easter season at the resort." – Ali Ibrahim, 31, resort worker, Haa Dhaal Nolhivaram

"I'm planning to vote because I want to use my right to vote and I lowkey hate [PNC]." – Aishath Ali*, 29, Haa Dhaal Kulhudhuffushi (*name changed)

Of the 20 respondents, 13 voted in the last presidential and parliamentary elections and six did not. For one respondent – the 18-year-old intern from Malé – April 4 will be the first time she has ever voted. At the other end, Razy, who has never voted in any election, says he won't be voting this time either.

Of the 20 respondents, 19 said no or some variation of it. Only one offered a qualified lean towards a party. The rest described a political system without a home for their values.

Fourteen respondents answered with a flat no. The remaining responses:

"Somewhat." – Anonymous, 35, political analyst, Malé

"Not at this moment, no." – Anonymous, 30, civil servant, Malé

"That's very subjective. But objectively, no. Not really." – Razy, 26, teacher, Malé

"No, but some are better than the current." – Anonymous, 22, coach, Malé

"I don't know if there are any parties that represent what I believe in. I just vote how my father tells me to." – Anonymous, 21, police officer, Laamu Gan

"I wouldn't say I am a particular party person. Every party talks some things that make sense, but also nonsense. Overall, I lean more towards MDP." – Anonymous, 24, resort worker, Laamu Hithadhoo

"I support well-educated people, rather than a particular party." – Ibrahim, 31, resort worker, Haa Dhaal Nolhivaram

"Honestly, I don't believe in any political party. Parties these days are only working for their own benefit." – Aishath*, 29, Kulhudhuffushi

The referendum question split respondents. Some see it as a democratic safeguard, others as a practical convenience. Several admitted they hadn't thought about it much at all. Six respondents gave a flat yes or no without elaboration. The most substantive responses came from those who opposed combining the elections – and from non-Malé voters who questioned the framing of the proposal itself.

"Yeah, will probably go since it's two in one day. Less chance of them cheating to win majority parliament seats." – Anonymous, 27, freelancer, Malé

"If parliamentary elections are on a different day and people aren't happy with the winner of the presidential elections, they would then have the opportunity to vote for their preferred party to get more seats in parliament. Sometimes people do need more of a push to be politically active, and spacing it out might potentially give room for that to happen." – Lana Jaleel, 20, student

"Yes it does. It should be separate." – Anonymous, 35, political analyst, Malé

"Not really, but I don't know the impact of that. I'm not well versed in politics." – Ilaan, 18, engineering coordinator, Malé

"Doesn't really matter. I support that, it can be a cost-cutting technique for the government." – Anonymous, 25, HR professional, Malé

"If it'll bring less corruption and more fairness in the voting process, yes. But if the referendum passes, what will stop the government from making other changes to the constitution?" – Anonymous, 30, civil servant, Malé

"Yes. I am so upset I will not be able to vote. I booked these tickets many months ago." – Anonymous, 29, lawyer, Malé

"I don't think it should be combined. The runners or the lawmakers might try to garner favours from the president. I could be wrong. But something to think about." – Razy, 26, teacher, Malé

"Simultaneous elections are harmful to democracy. It increases the chances of the erosion of checks and balances and a single party would dominate control of both the executive and the legislature." – Anonymous, 18, intern, Malé

"I haven't thought about it much at all. But I guess now it is time to think about it. I think it might be a good thing, to combine it actually." – Anonymous, 21, police officer, Laamu Gan

"I don't think most people know what the referendum is about and what would happen from that change. I don't think there was enough time for people to learn about it. I know the government says it will cut costs, but the government does a lot of other things that are much more wasteful, so I don't see any sincerity in that argument." – Anonymous, 24, resort worker, Laamu Hithadhoo

"I don't support combining the two elections. Unless they combine the council election and the parliament election, I won't support it." – Ibrahim, 31, resort worker, Haa Dhaal Nolhivaram

Respondents were more specific and more demanding. Malé respondents tended to speak in values: integrity, honesty, transparency. Atoll respondents pointed to local realities: drug networks, family rule, underperforming incumbents.

"Make themselves irrelevant. Make way for bottom-up organising of communities, workplaces." – Anonymous, 27, artist, Malé

"Not be a sell out." – Anonymous, 27, freelancer, Malé

"It's so hard to trust any politicians in this country. Ideally, a candidate or party would have to align with my ideals and actually show they have the means, strategies and integrity to follow through. Realistically, I can only see myself voting against people whose policies I disagree with the most." – Jaleel, 20, student

"Grow a moral backbone." – Raishan, 29, lawyer, Malé

"Legitimacy and trustworthiness." – Anonymous, 28, legal professional, Malé

"Prove integrity and understand modern threats." – Fishie, 27, gamer, Malé

"Transparency, openness and good character." – Anonymous, 35, political analyst, Malé

"Put the people first – all the people." – Ilaan, 18, engineering coordinator, Malé

"Honesty and integrity." – Anonymous, 25, HR professional, Malé

"Honesty, integrity and not corrupt." – Anonymous, 30, civil servant, Malé

"Nothing really." – Anonymous, 25, front office worker, Malé

"Walk the walk, not just talk the talk." – Anonymous, 29, lawyer, Malé

"Genuinely bring about changes based on the public interest and not the interest of those within their party. Some of us who've lost interest can still be brought back by showing us a change. I'm not even asking for myself but for the country itself." – Razy, 26, teacher, Malé

"Not centre around their own people. Actually stick to their promises. Use tax money with purpose. Smarter decisions, not based on what your kid is doing or what benefits you as the top one percent." – Anonymous, 22, coach, Malé

"Maldives is a country that should be focused on its own environment and the welfare of the people. I'll agree with a candidate once they propose to fix the traffic and congestion issue of Malé, as well as creating sustainable green spaces to make the city less depressing to live in. The lack of third spaces for teens and young adults leads to a more emotionally drained environment." – Anonymous, 18, intern, Malé

"Actually stand on the words they say." – Rasheed, 21, admin staff, Malé

"To be honest, I am not hopeful about my island's council election. There's no promising candidate for island council president. I think the council elections should be more about what is best for the island than a national election. On one side there's the current president who I don't believe has done enough in the past five years, on the other side the candidate is the former head of the health centre, who also didn't manage much but at least he is from MDP and he is more likely to listen to people." – Anonymous, 24, resort worker, Laamu Hithadhoo

"The candidates for my island's council from the MDP side, it's good. But the PNC side is backed by drug dealers. If they get elected it will be really bad for the island – three big families will control everything. It will result in a family rule and self-interest." – Ibrahim, 31, resort worker, Nolhivaram

"Honestly, there are currently no candidates who I support wholeheartedly, but there are some I hate wholeheartedly. In my opinion, a candidate should be educated and intelligent, unbiased and willing to stand up for the members of the island that they represent despite their party." – Aishath*, 29, Kulhudhuffushi