Mohamed Muizzu, the opposition candidate in the Maldives presidential election, has emerged as the winner in a second-round runoff, defeating incumbent President Ibrahim Solih. This victory could signal a potential shift in the Indian Ocean archipelago's foreign policy towards its traditional partner, India, in favor of closer ties with China.
According to the Elections Commission of the Maldives, with almost all votes counted, Muizzu secured 54% of the ballots in Saturday's election, while Solih received 46%. An impressive 85% of the 282,000 eligible voters in the Maldives turned out at over 586 polling stations located across 187 islands.
President Solih, who had previously advocated an "India First" policy during his tenure, will continue in office until Muizzu's inauguration on November 17.
The coalition supporting Muizzu has previously backed Chinese loans and investment projects. Notably, Muizzu has strong ties to former President Abdulla Yameen, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence on charges of corruption and money laundering. Yameen's supporters assert that these charges were politically motivated.
In his response to the election outcome, Muizzu expressed gratitude to the people for their democratic participation and extended his congratulations to his supporters. He also called on President Solih to release Yameen and place him under house arrest.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a congratulatory message to Muizzu, reaffirming India's commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two countries and enhancing overall cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.