On October 3, 2025, thousands of protesters, led by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), took to the streets of Malé city in the Maldives, in the year’s largest demonstration against President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. Waving national flags, marchers accused the government of rampant corruption, suppression of freedoms, and economic mismanagement, driving up prices of essential goods. Tensions escalated when protesters allegedly deviated from agreed march routes, throwing rocks and water bottles. Police responded with pepper spray and riot shields, arresting eight demonstrators, including MDP members. The MDP condemned the police response as “violent and disproportionate,” demanding the immediate release of detainees and denouncing the crackdown as a violation of constitutional rights. Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid joined the protest, amplifying calls for transparency and accountability.
In 2025, the Maldives witnessed a series of protests against President Mohamed Muizzu’s government. On September 16, 2025, journalists, opposition Members of Parliament (MPs), and citizens protested outside Parliament in Malé against a controversial Bill passed by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) supermajority. The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) alliance has support of 75 members in the 93-memeber Parliament. Critics, including the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), Reporters Without Borders, and Human Rights Watch, labelled the law draconian, arguing it aims to regulate social media, curb press freedom, and silence dissent by establishing a government-controlled media commission. Police in riot gear clashed with protesters, assaulting journalists (e.g., Adhadhu’s Ahmed Aaidh was beaten, and MMC’s Leevan Ali Nasir was arrested), confiscating equipment, and detaining two individuals (later released). Seven MDP MPs were removed from Parliament during heated debates. MJA vowed to defy the law. Journalist-led protests also occurred on August 27 and September 21 outside the President’s Office. Meanwhile, Maldives ranked 104th out of 180 countries, in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index.
From late April to early May 2025, youth supported by MDP protested following the suspicious death of Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed, who fell from a ninth-floor apartment on April 18, 2025. Allegations of a Police cover-up involving politically connected figures fueled demands for justice and the resignations of the Minister of Internal Security, Ali Ihusaan and the Transport Minister, Mohamed Ameen. Protests, starting April 24, included a “mega-protest” and online campaigns (#DhulehNukuraanan), persisting despite heavy rain. The opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against a minister (which was rejected), and President Muizzu’s Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry, formed on April 27, was deemed inadequate by protesters, who cited systemic corruption and elite impunity.
March 2025 witnessed two weeks of protests in Malé, organized by MDP, against rising poverty, inflation, and government corruption. Demonstrators faced arrests and excessive force from the Police. The protests, spanning six nights, highlighted economic mismanagement and new corruption allegations, aiming to pressure Muizzu’s government.
Despite its parliamentary supermajority, President Mohamed Muizzu’s government in the Maldives remains fragile due to internal divisions, governance controversies, and growing public discontent. His administration faces allegations of corruption, misuse of power, and democratic backsliding after pushing constitutional amendments that strengthen executive control and restrict dissent. Civil society groups have criticized new media regulations and suppression of opposition voices, triggering protests and eroding trust in state institutions. Within the ruling coalition, tensions persist between the People’s National Congress and its allies, while economic challenges – such as mounting debt, reliance on tourism, and reduced Indian support following the government’s pro-China tilt – have heightened instability. These factors, combined with fears of authoritarian overreach and international criticism of human rights curbs, have weakened the legitimacy of Muizzu’s rule. Thus, despite numerical dominance in parliament, his government’s political base and credibility are increasingly brittle.
However, these protests are largely opposition-orchestrated rather than mass uprisings, though they do reflect deepening discontent with Muizzu’s administration. Organised by MDP under the slogan “#LootuvaifiLootuvaifi” (“stealing the nation”), they directly challenged President Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) supermajority. While some youth and civil society groups participated, analyses indicate limited mobilisation beyond MDP supporters, with earlier protests against democratic erosion showing low turnouts.
The government’s parliamentary dominance and the restrictive Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act have hindered broader public involvement, positioning the protest as a political manoeuvre rather than a revolutionary movement. Previous anti-Muizzu protests since November 2023 followed a similar pattern: led by the opposition, met with police crackdowns, and resulting in few immediate concessions. Nevertheless, given Maldives fractious history, a succession of such protests can create strong anti-government sentiments and a potential for mass chaos, even as they increase the risks of deepening civic restrictions and democratic backsliding.
