ދިވެހި ރާއްޖެ « DIVEHI RĀƆJE »
— Officially: ދިވެހި ރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމުހޫރިއްޔާ « Divehi Rāɔjēge Jumuhūriɔja ».
— English: Maldives.
— Seat of government: މާލެ « Māle ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Oligarchical remnant of a previous autocratic one-party state. In theory, the president is elected directly, and parliament (ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލިސް « Raɔjitunge Mažilis ») is elected in geographical constituencies.
— Chief governing party: ޕްރޮގްރެސިވް ޕާރޓީ އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް « Progressive Party of Maldives ».
— Head of government: އަބްދުﷲ ޔާމީން އަބްދުލް ގައްޔޫމް « Ɔabdu*ɔal-lah Jāmīn Ɔabdul Gaɔjūm », ޕީ.ޕީ.އެމް « PPM », president.
— Chief opposition parties: ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިމް ޕާޓީ « Divehi Raɔjitunge Dimokretim Party », led by މުހައްމަދު ނަޝީދު « Muhaɔmadu Našīdu »; ޖުމްހޫރީ ޕާޓީ « Žumhūrī Party ».
— Recent history: Longtime autocrat މައުމޫނު އަބްދުލް ގައްޔޫމް « Maɔumūnu Ɔabdul Gaɔjūm » (1978-2008, brother of އަބްދުﷲ ޔާމީން « Ɔabdu*ɔal-lah Jāmīn ») ruled autocratically; he arranged his last “reelection” in 2003. After the new term began, he fired two ministers who had supported the registration of an opposition political party, which would have been the first. After opposition demonstrations, a state of emergency was imposed. In parliamentary elections in 2005, candidates were required to run without party affiliation, but supporters of the ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިމް ޕާޓީ « Divehi Raɔjitunge Dimokretim Party » won between twelve and eighteen seats of forty-two contested. މައުމޫނު « Maɔumūnu » appointed a further eight. A presidential election held in 2008, the first under multi-party rules, officially went to a runoff between މައުމޫނު « Maɔumūnu » and މުހައްމަދު ނަޝީދު « Muhaɔmadu Našīdu »; މައުމޫނު « Maɔumūnu » conceded defeat in the runoff, setting up a transfer of power, and a short-lived democracy. In 2012, މުހައްމަދު « Muhaɔmadu » was forced to resign in a dispute over the judiciary, and following extended protests; he was succeeded by މުހައްމަދު ވަހީދު ޙަސަން މަނިކު « Muhaɔmadu Vahīdu Hasan Maniku » (2012-3) and the so-called ގުމީ އިއްތިހާދު « Gumī Ɔiɔtihādu ». In a 2013 presidential election to replace him, މުހައްމަދު « Muhaɔmadu » won a near-majority in the first round, and then in a repeat; the Supreme Court ordered revotes until achieving its desired result, a narrow runoff “win” for އަބްދުﷲ ޔާމީން « Ɔabdu*ɔal-lah Jāmīn ».
— FH: 4-4, partly free (not democratic).
— Updated: 2015 March 22.
O.T. FORD