By the time the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) began its 20th anniversary run through the streets of Hulhumale’, the turnout (or the lack of it) spoke volumes. Once able to rally thousands with a single social media post, MDP now finds itself facing an inconvenient truth: the very public that once stood shoulder to shoulder with them is stepping back.
MDP was once the face of resistance in the Maldives. A symbol of reform and liberal democracy in a country yearning for change. Its messaging was sharp, its grassroots machinery relentless, and its media game unmatched. For a time, it worked. The party brought in a new generation of leaders, shook up the old order, and dominated the political discourse for over a decade.
But something has shifted. The streets that used to echo with chants of reform are now quieter. The anniversary run, despite mobilising its remaining loyalists and a few familiar faces, failed to capture the public’s imagination. In fact, it confirmed what many in the Maldives already sense: people are tired. Not just of MDP, but politics as usual.
The problem for MDP isn’t organisation. It’s not even narrative fatigue. It’s trust. Every time the party has come to power, segments of its leadership have grown visibly wealthier, while the ordinary supporters, those who once risked everything for change, watched from the sidelines. Ministerial portfolios, high-paying political jobs, and appointments in state-owned enterprises became tools of internal reward rather than instruments of public service.
The disillusionment is not just external. Inside the party, rifts have deepened. Factionalism,
infighting, and backroom power struggles have made headlines more often than policies or
vision. And among the wider population, this has only reinforced a growing sentiment: political parties in the Maldives are no longer seen as platforms for national development. They are seen as vehicles for individual gain.
This goes beyond the MDP. The entire party system is under public scrutiny. Increasingly,
Maldivians are asking whether these parties represent the will of the people or have merely
become machines for recycling the same faces through different ministries.
It’s not that the public has become apolitical. Far from it. But the appetite for party-based politics is fading fast. People want local governance that works, services that function, and policies that prioritise livelihoods over legacy-building. They want leaders who aren’t preoccupied with keeping the party machinery running, but who are focused on keeping the country running.
If the message from the streets is anything to go by, the Maldivian public is sending a clear
signal: enough of the slogans, enough of the power games. It’s time for something real.
