MNP out from list of parties receiving funds from state, PNC in

Elections Commission (EC), on Thursday, said six parties including main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), met the 10,000-membership mark required to qualify to receive funds from the state budget at the time the parliament passed the proposed budget for next year.

The Political Parties Act dictates that 0.01 percent of the state budget must be allocated to registered political parties that meet the 10,000-member mark.

EC’s Vice Chairperson Ismail Habeeb, in a post on X, said six parties met the 10,000 membership required at the passing of the budget. They are;

• Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)
• Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)
• Jumhoory Party (JP)
• Adhaalath Party (AP)
• Maldives Development Alliance (MDA)
• PNC

The Parliament has passed an MVR 49.8 billion state budget for next year, with an additional MVR 306 million to the original figure proposed by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday.

Political parties were allocated MVR 36.9 million from the state budget approved for the year. 

Details of funds that were dispersed to each party are as follows;

• Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – MVR 14,212,790.92
• Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – MVR 9,544,204.46
• Jumhoory Party (JP) – MVR 5,680,521.16
• Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – MVR 2,591,106.24
• Maldives National Party (MNP) MVR 2,434,979.29
• Adhaalath Party (AP) – MVR 2,412,485.93

MNP is the only party that had failed to make it to the list of political parties receiving funds from the state next year following its drop in membership below 10,000. Although the party had over 10,000 members earlier this year, the party’s candidate only received 1,907 votes in the presidential elections.

PNC, which has never received funding from the state before, made it to the list. Before winning the election, PNC’s membership stood at 3,022.