Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said:

The British Government remains deeply concerned about the continuing delays to Presidential elections in the Maldives and the legal challenges to the democratic process. These legal challenges increasingly appear to be aimed at preventing the people of the Maldives from having their say at the ballot box. It is imperative that the Presidential elections now take place as re-scheduled by the Maldives’ Election Commission and that all candidates work to create conditions which are conducive to elections. We hope that the re-run of the first round of Presidential elections will be free, fair, inclusive and peaceful.

The unacceptable delays to elections and reports of the intimidation of Parliamentarians, NGOs and media organisations have been closely watched by the international community. Further delays could result in greater damage to the Maldives’ international reputation and could have a negative impact upon the Maldives’ economy. The Maldivian people deserve the opportunity to choose the President of their nation in accordance with their constitutional rights.

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