President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has described the ideology of the People’s National Congress (PNC) as clear and unified, saying the ruling party’s political direction is rooted in Islam, national identity and the principle of placing the interests of the Maldives above political or individual interests.
Across a series of addresses delivered during the PNC Congress, the President repeatedly returned to what he described as the foundations of the party: stability, development and security, pursued under a broader philosophy of putting the nation first.
Muizzu, who leads the PNC, said the party’s ideology should leave no uncertainty over what it represents or the direction in which it intends to take the country.
At the centre of that philosophy, he said, is Islam. The President described the Islamic faith and Maldivian national identity as fundamental to the PNC’s political outlook, arguing that government policies since November 2023 have been shaped around protecting those principles.
He coupled that position with what he described as a “Nation First” approach to politics.
According to Muizzu, political parties inevitably compete for power and disagree over policy, but those differences should not extend to matters where the national interest is at stake. He called on political actors to place the country ahead of their respective parties when dealing with issues affecting the Maldives as a whole.
“Stability, development and security” were repeatedly identified by the President as the three pillars around which the PNC’s policies are structured.
Muizzu argued that stability provides the foundation necessary for development, while national security and sovereignty are essential to preserving that stability. He said these principles are reflected not only in the PNC’s political platform but also in the policies pursued by his administration.
The President also used the Congress to challenge the increasingly negative perception of politics among younger Maldivians.
He acknowledged that years of political conflict and confrontation have led some young people to regard politics as inherently “dirty”, but argued that political work itself should not carry such a reputation. Politics conducted responsibly and with the country placed first, he said, can instead be a means of serving the public.
That argument formed part of a broader appeal for a change in the country’s political culture.
Muizzu said political competition should not reach a point where attempts to damage a rival party ultimately harm the country. He called for political leaders to find common ground on issues of national importance, even when they remain divided on other matters.
The President also linked the PNC’s ideology to what he calls “Dhivehinge Raajje”, or a Maldives belonging to Maldivians.
In his explanation of the concept, Muizzu said it encompasses more than political sovereignty. He tied it to strengthening the country’s independence, preserving its religion and identity, building economic resilience and ensuring that national decisions are made with Maldivian interests at their centre.
He also argued that development should not be measured solely through physical infrastructure.
While roads, housing, airports and other large projects remain part of the government’s development agenda, Muizzu said sustainable development must also strengthen social values, patriotism, respect and traditions inherited across generations.
During the closing stages of the Congress, the President expanded on these themes by describing justice, fairness, sincerity and accountability as values that should guide the party’s political work.
He also pointed to his administration’s policies on debt repayment, governance, crime and corruption, defence and political freedoms as examples of how the government has sought to translate its stated ideology into policy.
Those claims formed part of Muizzu’s wider defence of his administration’s record and his argument that the PNC offers a distinct political direction from its rivals.
The Congress also served to consolidate the party behind Muizzu ahead of the next presidential election.
Delegates unanimously adopted a resolution calling on him to seek a second term, with 1,119 members supporting the proposal. The PNC subsequently formally presented Muizzu with its presidential ticket for the 2028 election.
The resolution cited many of the same themes emphasised by Muizzu during the Congress, including sovereignty, Islam, economic reform, national security, development and the government’s foreign policy.
PNC leaders have said maintaining that policy direction is among the reasons they want Muizzu to remain in office beyond his current term.
The Congress therefore became more than an internal gathering to elect office-bearers and conduct party business. Over several days, Muizzu used the platform to set out a broader definition of what he believes the PNC represents as it approaches the latter half of its first term in government.
His message throughout the gathering was that the party should not become a collection of competing political interests, but remain organised around a common set of principles.
For Muizzu, those principles ultimately return to the same central argument: Islam and Maldivian identity as foundations, stability, development and security as governing priorities, and national interest above party interest.
It is that combination the President says gives the PNC an ideology that is both unambiguous and unified.
