The government’s proposed constitutional amendment to hold the parliamentary and presidential elections on the same day has been rejected after yesterday's nationwide referendum.
With 93 percent of the votes counted, only 58,144 people or 31 percent voted in favour, while 128,009 people or 69 percent said no to the government's proposal.
The last referendum in recent history was held in 2007 to determine the system of government.
The government of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom wanted a presidential system, while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) advocated a parliamentary system.
The people chose the presidential system with 62 percent of the votes, while the parliamentary system received 38 percent.
Yesterday's vote was the biggest defeat in a public referendum for a sitting President. Almost the same number of people who voted for Muizzu in the 2023 presidential election said no to the government's proposal.
Muizzu's presidential manifesto does not include plans to merge the presidential and parliamentary elections. But the changes were rushed through the government-controlled parliament without a consultative process.
