President Muizzu Advocates for Streamlining Parliament and Council Sizes

In a compelling address at a PNC meeting, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has underscored the pressing need to reduce the size of both parliament and local councils to foster more efficient governance.

President Muizzu emphasized the issue of the increasing number of lawmakers, advocating for a return to the original composition of 77 Members of Parliament (MPs) elected under the new constitution in 2009. "We must halt the expansion of parliament. Seventy-seven MPs are sufficient to represent our nation's interests effectively," he asserted.

Highlighting the inefficiencies in the current council system, President Muizzu proposed a more streamlined approach for smaller islands. "In small islands, having a president and vice-president as councillors is adequate. For more densely populated areas, additional councilors may be necessary, but we must rethink the current structure of atoll councils," he stated.

"We have chosen one person to lead the entire state, yet in islands with populations of 300, 500, or 1,000, it is financially burdensome to elect five or seven councillors," President Muizzu explained. He called for systemic changes to reduce unnecessary expenditures while maintaining effective governance.

The President also pointed out that the Constitution and existing laws have led to the creation of numerous institutions, many of which have overlapping functions. He advocated for merging such institutions and reducing the number of commission members. "We don't need large teams to carry out honest work. Commissions should not have five, seven, or ten members if fewer can achieve the same goals with integrity," he emphasized.

"Even these establishments usually appoint a large number of members as per the law. A smaller, dedicated team can serve the people more effectively and efficiently," he concluded.