Malé, Maldives — The Maldives Parliament has passed a constitutional amendment requiring a public referendum for any changes to the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or economic territory. The amendment also mandates that such changes be approved by a three-fourths majority in Parliament.

The new constitutional provision allows Parliament to decide on territorial issues only after obtaining public consent through a referendum. This move comes amid heightened public scrutiny over the government’s handling of maritime boundary disputes, particularly the case concerning the delimitation of the boundary between the Maldives and the Chagos Archipelago.

The amendment coincides with the government’s efforts to appeal a recent decision by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), which delimited the maritime boundary in favor of Mauritius’ claims. Many Maldivians believe this ruling resulted in the Maldives losing a significant portion of its EEZ to Mauritius, fueling public outcry and political debates.

During the parliamentary session, opposition MPs protested against the amendment.

This development is expected to stir further political debate, particularly as the Maldives grapples with the implications of the ITLOS ruling and its impact on the nation’s maritime boundaries.