President Muizzu Calls for Reduction in Parliament and Council Sizes

President Muizzu advocated for a parliament size similar to the 17th assembly, which had 77 members, arguing that this number was ideal. He stressed that reducing the number of lawmakers would help decrease recurrent expenses.

He also suggested reducing the number of councilors, asserting that it would not diminish public representation. For islands with smaller populations, he proposed electing a president and a vice president for the councils, while slightly increasing the number for larger cities to improve service efficiency.

Additionally, President Muizzu criticized the current structure of atoll councils, highlighting issues with meeting logistics and advocating for smaller, more effective councils.

He announced plans to submit amendments to parliament to reduce the number of members in independent commissions and consolidate those with overlapping functions to enhance their capacity and efficiency.

This call for downsizing comes as the ruling PNC has submitted a resolution to parliament demanding a reduction in the number of MPs.