Maldives’ leader, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has admitted that he lost the presidential election on Saturday. The winner of the election is Mohamed Muizzu, who is known for having strong ties with China. This result could change the Maldives’ relationship with India, which has traditionally been a significant supporter of the country.
Muizzu, who is 45 years old, leads a political party that brought in a lot of loans from China during its previous time in power in the Maldives. The Maldives is famous for its beautiful beach resorts and famous visitors.
Muizzu won 54.06 percent of the votes in the election’s runoff, causing Solih, the current president, to admit his defeat just before midnight. Solih said, “Congratulations to president-elect Muizzu. I also congratulate the people for participating in a peaceful and democratic process.”
Muizzu made a short appearance outside his party’s campaign office, asking his supporters not to celebrate until the campaign restrictions officially end on Sunday morning.
Solih, who is 61 years old, will remain the caretaker president until Muizzu is inaugurated on November 17. This election result goes against Solih’s efforts to strengthen the Maldives’ relationship with India since he took office five years ago.
Muizzu played a significant role in a previous government’s development program, which was partly funded by China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
The Maldives is strategically located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, making it an important area for international shipping. Muizzu’s mentor, former president Abdulla Yameen, borrowed a lot of money from China for construction projects and distanced the Maldives from India.
Solih was elected in 2018 because people were unhappy with Yameen’s autocratic rule and his close ties to China. Many believed that Yameen’s actions were leading the country into a debt trap with China.
Yameen’s pro-China stance worried not only India but also the United States and its allies due to China’s increasing influence in the Indian Ocean. India is part of the Quad alliance, which includes the United States, Australia, and Japan.
However, Solih’s attempt to restore the Maldives’ traditional position was controversial, as many in the country were against India’s strong political and economic influence.
Muizzu has promised to release Yameen, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for corruption on an island where he had imprisoned many of his political opponents during his presidency. Muizzu urged the outgoing president to use his executive power to transfer Yameen to house arrest during his brief appearance on Saturday.
The voter turnout in Saturday’s election was 85 percent, slightly higher than the first-round vote earlier this month. Transparency Maldives, a watchdog group, reported some incidents of electoral violence without providing further details.
Officials mentioned that one voter broke a plastic ballot box, but the ballots were saved, and the counting process was not disrupted. The police arrested 14 people, mainly for taking pictures of their marked ballot papers and sharing them on social media.
