Jobs can outweigh the entire campaign budget
The monetary value of promised jobs can dwarf direct campaign spending. Estimates for SOE jobs handed out per constituency add up to around MVR 10 million over two years, or MVR 25 million over a full five-year term – far exceeding the average island campaign budget of around MVR 5 million.
Why it works
Many voters view MPs less as lawmakers and more as intermediaries to the government. Electing an MP from the sitting President’s party is seen as the way to keep a constituency on the government’s radar, and civil society organisations tracking utility SOEs described island offices needing five staff that employed around 25, with waves of hiring before each election.
The cost to government
Filling positions on political loyalty rather than merit weakens the public workforce’s ability to deliver, and the recurring payroll liability lands on the taxpayer indefinitely. The study’s first recommendation area targets exactly this: transparent scoring systems for services and projects, and caps on discretionary public hiring.
Key facts
- An estimated 40 to 100 state-owned enterprise jobs are promised per constituency during Maldivian elections.
- Promised SOE jobs per constituency are worth around MVR 10 million over two years – roughly double the average island campaign budget.
- Since 2013, three successive parliamentary elections have produced a majority or supermajority for the sitting President’s party.
Last checked . If a figure here is out of date, tell us.