Mohamed Muizzu, a pro-China candidate, secured victory in the Maldives presidential election on Saturday, as reported by the news agency AFP. Outgoing Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih conceded defeat after the Election Commission’s count revealed that his pro-China rival riding on the “India out” campaign won the polls.
Solih, acknowledging the results, took to X to congratulate Muizzu, stating, “Congratulations to the winner of the presidential election @MMuizzu. Thank you for the beautiful democratic example shown by the people in the elections. Thank you to the MDP and AP members who worked together and to all the people who voted for me.”
News agency Reuters cited local media as reporting that Muizzu was leading the count with 54% of the vote, while Solih had secured 46%.
The election saw thousands of Maldivians turning out early at 586 polling stations scattered across the nation’s 187 islands. In addition to domestic polling stations, Maldivians cast their votes at polling stations located in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Britain, and Abu Dhabi.
During his tenure, Solih had championed an “India first” policy, focusing on strengthening relations with India, the nation’s influential neighbor. In contrast, the coalition supporting Muizzu had launched an “India out” campaign, pledging to remove a small Indian military presence, including several surveillance aircraft and around 75 personnel, Reuters reported.
It is worth noting that Muizzu entered the political arena with the backing of former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, who is known for his pro-China stance. Yameen was disqualified from contesting the election by the Supreme Court in August due to a conviction for corruption and money laundering.
Following the announcement of the projected results, supporters of both Yameen and Muizzu congregated outside the main Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) office in the capital, Male. The atmosphere was charged with celebration, accompanied by chants of “free President Yameen”, as per Reuters.
Muizzu’s victory marks a pivotal moment in the political landscape of the Maldives, with potential implications for the nation’s foreign policy and relationships with India.
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