At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Maldives

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku *
• Head of Government: President Mohammed WAHEED Hasssan Maniku
• Assembly: Maldives has a unicameral People's Council (Majlis) with 77 seats.

* On February 7, 2012, Maldives President Mohamed NASHEED stepped down amidst political unrest. Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku assumed the office of President.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Mohamed NASHEED
  • Party: Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) / ދިވެހިރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ
• Qasim IBRAHIM
  • Party: Republican Party / Jumhooree Party (JP)
• Abdulla YAMEEN
  • Party: Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) / ޕްރޮގްރެސިވް ޕާރޓީ އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް: ޕީ.ޕީ.އެމް

Last Election:

• Elections for the office of the President were originally held on September 7, 2013. In that election, Mohamed NASHEED gained the most votes, but fell short of crossing the 50 percent threshold needed to win the presidency outright. Following the election Qasim IBRAHIM, who finished third, challenged the results in the Supreme Court, alleging voter fraud. On October 7, the Supreme Court of the Maldives annulled the results of the original election. The first round of new voting was originally to be held by October 19, 2013, with a run-off to be held before November 11, 2013, if necessary. Following the call for new elections, President Mohammed WAHEED Hasssan Maniku, who had received only 5.13% of votes in the first round, announced that he was withdrawing his candidacy from the second round of elections. On October 19, 2013, Maldivian police stepped in, and prevented the Maldivian Election Commission from conducting the election. Following the cancellation of the October 19 poll, the Election Commission announced the presidential election would be held on November 9, 2013, with a run-off on November 16, 2013. The new schedule raises constitutional questions, as the Constitution of the Maldives necessitates the election of the President by November 11, 2013.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 393,988 (July 2013 est.)
• Registered Voters: 239,593 (September 2013)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 195,943 (2013)

·         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: 5 (following the 2009 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: 59,098 (est.)