President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has approved important changes to the Political Parties Act, following their passage in Parliament on 13 November 2024. These changes update the rules for how political parties operate in the Maldives.

One key update prevents any dissolved party’s logo, colours, or symbols from being reused by another party for five years. The amendment also clarifies the process for registering political parties and changes how funding is managed.

Now, budget allocations for political parties must be included in the national budget and disbursed within the year. The funding must be between 0.1 and 0.2 percent of the total national budget.

New penalties for breaking election laws have also been introduced. Political parties will face a fine of MVR 100,000, while individuals responsible could be fined between MVR 30,000 and MVR 75,000.

These changes are effective immediately after their publication in the Government Gazette. The amendments aim to improve transparency, accountability, and fairness in the Maldives’ political system.