The President will deliver the annual Presidential Address at the first sitting of the Parliament for 2026, scheduled for February 5 at 9:00 a.m. at the Parliament.

Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla announced that parliamentary work for the year will officially begin on that day. Under Article 84 of the Constitution, the Presidential Address must be delivered at the first sitting of the Parliament each year and outlines the current state of the country and measures the President considers necessary for national improvement.

According to Parliament regulations, a formal response to the Presidential Address must be prepared by the Majority Leader or Minority Leader of the party with the highest number of members in parliament. The response is drafted after consulting members outside the President’s political party and following discussions in the Parliament. The Speaker must arrange a sitting for the response, which must be delivered within 14 days of the address.

The Parliament passed 15 bills in 2025 before going into recess on December 3, though two special sittings were held this month after 31 members requested them under parliamentary regulations.

Speaker Abdul Raheem said the special sittings were convened to address three matters: appointing a President to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), debating an amendment to the Penal Code submitted by Central Hithadhoo MP Ahmed Azan Marzooq on behalf of the government, and considering an amendment to the Pension Act submitted by Milandhoo MP Hassan Mufeed Abdul Gadir.

The bills were sent to committees for further review. At the second special sitting held on August 6, Dr. Aishath Rameela was elected President of the HRCM, and the appointment was approved. The Speaker also said another sitting will be held outside the regular session.