At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Maldives

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM *
• Head of Government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM **
• Assembly: Maldives has a unicameral People's Council (Majlis) with 50 seats.

* This is the Maldives' first multicandidate presidential election. Prior to this election, Maldivian presidents were nominated by the People's Majlis and subsequently approved by citizens via popular referendum.

** The President is both the chief of state and head of government.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote.
• In the People's Council (Majlis), 8 members are appointed by the President to serve 5-year terms and 42 members are elected by simple majority vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

• Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
  • Party: Maldivian People's Party / Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party
• Mohamed NASHEED
  • Party: Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)

Last Presidential election:

• The leadership of President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM, who has held power since 11 November 1978, was last ratified by a national referendum on 17 October 2003 with 90.3% of the popular vote in favot. Political parties were allowed to register for the first time in June 2005.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 362,000 (2008)
• Registered Voters: 208,252 (October 2008)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 180,387 (2008)

·         Is Maldives a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Maldives ratified CEDAW: Yes, acession (1 July 1993)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 6 (following the 2005 parliamentary elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 104 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Maldives a signatory to CRPD: Yes (2 October 2007)

·         Has Maldives ratified CRPD: Yes (5 April 2010)

·         Population with a disability: 54,300 (est.)