The Republic of Maldives conducted two rounds of Presidential elections on 9 and 30 September. The EU congratulates President-Elect Mohamed Muizzu on his win in the elections. These elections were competitive, well handled and took place in a peaceful environment.

Following an invitation from the Government of the Maldives, the EU deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM), led by MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor, to undertake an independent, impartial and technical assessment of all aspects of the electoral process. The preliminary statements of the EU EOM highlight that fundamental freedoms were generally respected and voters were able to cast their ballots in an orderly fashion. At the same time, equity on the playing field needs to be improved, and campaign finance framework be better regulated and enforced in order to strengthen trust in the electoral processes. Robust measures are needed to promote women’s participation in national politics. The Mission will publish a comprehensive final report including recommendations to improve future electoral processes.

The Republic of Maldives is an important and valued partner of the EU, and our cooperation, rooted in shared values and common interests, has significantly strengthened over the recent years. We look forward to working closely together with the next President to further enhance the EU-Maldives partnership as well as regional cooperation. We trust that the Republic of Maldives continues its efforts to consolidate democratic reforms and their implementation. The EU remains committed to supporting the Maldives in this endeavour.

• Preliminary Statement
• Press release