Maldives election updates: Opposition projected to win high stakes run-off
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- Mohamed Muizzu, the mayor of Maldives’s capital, Male, has won a hotly contested presidential run-off, according to local media projections.
- With nearly all ballot boxes counted, the candidate of the opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM)-led coalition won 53 percent of the vote, while incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih obtained 46 percent.
- Muizzu declared victory in a brief statement at the PPM headquarters in Male, and called for the release of the party’s jailed leader, former President Abdulla Yameen, who is serving an 11-year sentence on a corruption conviction.
- Solih conceded defeat in a statement on X and offered congratulations to Muizzu.
- Observers say the win for Muizzu has significant implications for the Indian Ocean tourist destination’s ties with China and India, as well as the future of its nascent democracy.
- Muizzu’s PPM-led contested Saturday’s vote under the slogan “India Out”, criticising Solih for allowing what it called an outsized influence for New Delhi in Maldivian affairs.
- The PPM, when it was last in government from 2013-2018, had brought the Maldives closer to China and also oversaw a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent, including the jailing of nearly all opposition leaders.
Solih concedes defeat, congratulates Muizzu
The Maldives’s president has conceded defeat in Saturday’s run-off vote in a post on X.
Solih offered congratulations to Muizzu and thanked all those who voted for him, including members of the MDP and its ally, the Adhaalath Party.
ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞ©ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞª ÞÞ§ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞš @MMuizzu ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ§ ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ°. ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞªÞÞŠ ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞªÞÞ° ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞ¬ÞÞš ÞÞšÞÞ®ÞÞ°ÞÞ¬ÞÞšÞÞ° ÞÞ©ÞÞš ÞÞŠÞÞ«ÞÞ§ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ§ ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞª ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ°. ÞÞ¬ÞÞªÞÞŠ ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞªÞÞš ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°.ÞÞ©.ÞÞ© ÞÞ§ÞÞš ÞÞ.ÞÞ© ÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞŠÞ ÞªÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞ¯ÞÞªÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞš ÞÞªÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞªÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞª ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ°
— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) September 30, 2023
Translation: Congratulations to @MMuizzu for winning the Maldives’ presidential election. I would like to thank the Maldivian people for the democratic example they set in today’s vote, and express my gratitude to the members of the MDP and AP who worked with me, as well as all those who voted for me. Â
Muizzu thanks supporters, calls for ex-president’s release
The Maldives’s president-elect has delivered a brief statement at his party’s headquarters, thanking all those who voted for him and calling on the government to release former President Abdulla Yameen, who is serving an 11-year jail sentence on a corruption conviction.
“Today is a very happy day,” Muizzu told supporters.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the Maldivian people. This outcome today is a huge encouragement for us in our pursuit to build a better future for our country, and to ensure the sovereignty of our nation.”
Yameen, the leader of the PPM, must be released, Muizzu said.
“The president has the power to transfer [Yameen] home imprisonment. And doing so, I believe, is the best action that can be taken in our nation’s interests,” he added.
What’s behind Solih’s defeat?
Solih’s defeat to Muizzu marks the first time Maldivians have voted out a liberal democratic government in favour of an authoritarian challenger since the country held its first multi-party elections in 2008.
The outcome also marks a stark reversal of fortune for Solih, who won the last election in 2018 by a landslide, amid widespread anger over human rights abuses and corruption under his predecessor.
“It’s a big political shift in the political landscape in the Maldives,” said Ahmed Shaheed, a former Maldives foreign minister and professor of international human rights law at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. Solih’s MDP “came in as a party of democracy, while the PPM has always stood for tradition and authority”, he said.
“But people cannot make out a difference between the two any more … This is not the government of reform and democratic credentials people had wanted. It started looking very much like the other party, but without the efficiency and the delivery and the competence of that government.”
Key factors that led to disillusionment, he said, include allegations that Solih failed to fulfil his previous promises to crack down on corruption and ensure justice for the Maldives’s biggest-ever corruption scandal, as well as al-Qaeda-linked killings of a journalist and a blogger.
Who is Muizzu, the Maldives’s president-elect?
Mohamed Muizzu, the Maldives’s president-elect, is the current mayor of the capital, Male.
Born on June 15, 1978, Muizzu holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.
The father of three entered politics in 2012, when he was appointed the minister of housing in a unity government formed after the toppling of the Maldives’s first democratically elected government following a police and military mutiny.
He continued to hold the post in President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet, after the latter came to power in a disputed election in 2013. While in office, Muizzu oversaw several key infrastructure projects, including the construction of a first-of-its-kind bridge connecting the capital to its neighbouring islands.
When the 45-year-old won the contest for Male mayor in 2021, he was the first candidate of the PPM to hold the post. The seat had previously been held by the governing MDP.
Nasheed, speaker of Parliament, congratulates Muizzu
Parliament Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed has congratulated Muizzu on his apparent second round victory.
“Congratulations, President-elect Dr. @MMuizzu”, he said in a post on X.
Nasheed was formerly allied with Solih but fell out with the incumbent leader after losing a bitterly fought governing party presidential primary earlier this year. The two men’s quarrel split the MDP, likely contributing to Solih’s defeat, according to observers.
Marhaba President-elect Dr. @MMuizzu 🎉👏🏽👏🏽
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) September 30, 2023
Opposition supporters call for jailed ex-president’s release
Hundreds of supporters of the PPM, who have gathered in front of the party’s headquarters in Male to celebrate Muizzu’s apparent victory, are calling for jailed ex-President Abdulla Yameen’s release.
Yameen, who served as president from 2013-2018, was sentenced to 11 years in jail last December on a money-laundering conviction. He was unable to contest this year’s vote, despite a last-minute appeal at the Supreme Court, paving the way for Muizzu to run as the opposition candidate.
Videos posted on social media show supporters chanting “Release President Yameen!”
ÞÞšÞÞšÞÞ®Þ Þª ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞÞÞª ÞÞ. ÞÞªÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞª ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞ© ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞª ÞÞ§ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞª ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞ§ÞÞ¬ÞÞª ÞÞšÞÞšÞÞ®Þ Þª ÞÞŠÞÞ¯ÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞ© ÞÞ©ÞÞÞ¬ÞÞ° ÞÞ®ÞÞ©ÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞšÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞ¬ ÞÞªÞÞ©ÞÞ¬ ÞÞŠÞÞ©ÞÞ° ÞÞ§ÞÞ©ÞÞ° ÞÞ«ÞÞ®ÞÞ°ÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞ®ÞÞ§ÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞ°
ÞÞŠÞÞ©ÞÞ§: https://t.co/IU5PcIHtEW pic.twitter.com/m1W0GuHUc3
— Adhadhu (@AdhadhuMV) September 30, 2023
Muizzu appears headed to victory
Provisional results from nearly all of the 586 ballot boxes have now been announced, showing Muizzu winning Saturday’s run-off with more than 53 percent of the vote.
The Dhauru newspaper, which tallied results from 568 boxes, said Muizzu obtained 53.73 percent of the vote while Solih took 46.27 percent.
The Mihaaru newspaper, which tallied results from 554 boxes, said Muizzu won 53.93 percent of the vote, compared with Solih’s 46.07 percent.
Local media call election for Muizzu
Local media outlets in the Maldives, including the Sangu TV broadcaster and newspapers Mihaaru and Dhauru, have called Saturday’s run-off for Muizzu.
“Congratulations President elect @MMuizzu,” Sangu TV said in a post on X.
Congratulations President Elect @MMuizzu ððð pic.twitter.com/yYETR6umAP
— Sangu TV (@Sangu_TV) September 30, 2023
“Muizzu is assured the next presidential term,” Mihaaru said.
ÞÞªÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞ®ÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞª ÞÞªÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞ¬! https://t.co/KkOj6BYIxv
— Mihaaru (@Mihaarunews) September 30, 2023
Dhauru meanwhile declared Muizzu the “projected winner” of the run-off, noting their tally shows the mayor winning 53.76 percent of the vote compared with Solih’s 46.28 percent of the vote.
ÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞª ÞÞÞÞ°ÞÞš ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞ© ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞªÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¬ ÞÞŠÞÞŠ ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞ©ÞÞ©ÞÞ¬ ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞ© ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞÞÞ°Ø ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞªÞÞ¬ ÞÞŠÞÞ©ÞÞ° ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞ§ÞÞšÞÞ° ÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞª ÞÞ¯ÞÞšÞÞªÞÞ¬ ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞšÞÞšÞÞ®Þ Þª ÞÞ©ÞÞ©ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°-ÞÞ©ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞ©ÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞÞÞ° ÞÞ. ÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞª ÞÞªÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞª ÞÞªÞÞš ÞÞ¯ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞ§ÞÞ°ÞÞÞÞ¬ ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞŠ ÞÞŠÞÞ©ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞ§Þު⊠pic.twitter.com/QJZV3IFIxt
— Dhauru (@Dhaurunews) September 30, 2023
Opposition supporters celebrate on social media
Muizzu’s supporters are taking to social media to celebrate their candidate’s increasingly unassailable lead, including by calling the mayor the “president-elect”.
“Congratulations President elect @MMuizzu,” said X user @axanner. “The fight is far from over.”
Alhamdlilaahi! Congratulations President elect @MMuizzu The fight is far from over. #IndiaOut
— Ahmed Azaan (@axanner) September 30, 2023
“I urge all opposition supporters to be extra humble as we celebrate this victory,” said X user @PokmanMV. “We have a close-knit community in this country, and remember that members of [MDP] are our brothers and sisters.”
I urge all opposition supporters to be extra humble as we celebrate this victory. We have a close-knit community in this country, and remember that members of @MDPSecretariat are our brothers and sisters.
Maldives. ♥️🇲🇻
— Pokman 🇲🇻 (@PokmanMV) September 30, 2023
Muizzu extends lead with 50 percent of boxes counted
Provisional results from more than half of all ballot boxes have been announced, showing the opposition candidate extending his early lead over the incumbent.
According to the Dhauru newspaper, which has tallied results from 391 of the 586 ballot boxes, Muizzu now has 53.54 percent of the vote, while Solih has 46.46 percent.
Our count as of 6:30pm: 391 Boxes | 141,513 Votes
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih: 46.46% | 63,848
Dr. Mohamed Muizzu: 53.54% | 73,583Follow the latest results: https://t.co/Z53RxJh5b5 pic.twitter.com/rvShOK0ZvV
— Dhauru (@Dhaurunews) September 30, 2023
The Mihaaru newspaper, which has tallied results from 345 boxes, said Muizzu has 53.45 percent of the vote, while Solih has 46.55 percent.
Muizzu takes early lead with 25 percent of boxes counted
Provisional results from more than 25 percent of the 586 ballot boxes set up for Saturday’s vote have been announced, indicating an early lead for the opposition candidate.
Muizzu has 51.68 percent of the vote compared with Solih’s 48.32 percent, with 158 of all ballot boxes counted, according to the Dhauru newspaper.
That represents a total of 36,630 ballots or 13 percent of all eligible votes.
Turnout likely to be above 85 percent: Official
The Elections Commission said turnout in Saturday’s run-off was likely to exceed 85 percent.
A spokesman for the commission told local media that provisional figures show at least 242,000 voters cast their ballots by the time polling stations closed. But he said the commission is yet to receive updated figures from some 20 percent of ballot boxes.
First results start to roll in
Provisional results from the first boxes to be counted are starting to come in.
These are mostly from polling stations set up for employees at resorts, and the amount of ballots cast at these boxes usually number in the dozens.
Counting begins
Electoral officials have begun counting ballots at polling stations across the Maldives, according to local media, with results expected to roll in shortly afterwards.
ÞÞšÞÞŠ ÞÞ¯ÞÞª ÞÞ®ÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞ¯ÞÞª ÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞšÞÞš.
ÞÞŠÞÞšÞÞ°: https://t.co/hfzzZB75ZB pic.twitter.com/84ysBbS3Hg
— Dhauru (@Dhaurunews) September 30, 2023
Vote counting set to begin
The elections commission said counting of votes will begin at 5:30pm local time (12:30 GMT).
Ismail Habeeb, the spokesman for the commission, said “voting has ended in most polling stations” across the country.
Polls close
Polling stations have closed across the Maldives, but the elections commission said anyone who joined queues before 5pm local time (12:00 GMT) will be allowed to cast their ballots.
Turnout at 78 percent one hour before polls close
The elections commission said some 78 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots by 4pm local time (11:00 GMT). That’s with one hour left to go before polling stations close.
It is now 4:50pm in the Maldives, and polling stations are set to close in 10 minutes.
The latest figures indicate the turnout in the run-off election will exceed the numbers in the first round. Some 79 percent of eligible voters turned out to cast their ballots during the first round.
ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞ© ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞª 2023ÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¬ÞÞ¬ÞÞŠ ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞ§ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞ©ÞÞ© ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞ© ÞÞ°ÞÞ«ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞš Þ€Þ§ÞÞšÞÞ° ÞÞ®ÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞšÞÞ§ ÞÞ¯ÞÞªÞÞ§ ÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞªÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¯ÞÞªÞÞªÞÞªÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¬ÞÞ¬ÞÞšÞÞ° pic.twitter.com/nK8GXP58KO
— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) September 30, 2023
Translation: Scenes from a ballot box at Kaamil Didi Primary School in the second round of the Maldives presidential election 2023.
Opposition denies involvement in attacks on legislators
The opposition PPM-led coalition has denied any links to the assaults on two ruling party legislators in Male and in the southern city of Addu.
“We deny claims of any involvement of our members and supporters in the unrest in Male and Addu,” the coalition said in a brief statement. “We continue to appeal to our members and supporters not to take part in such incidents.”
Police ramp up security measures after attacks on legislators
Police in the Maldives said they are stepping up security measures in the capital, Male, following an “increase in activity by criminal groups”.
“We have received complaints that such groups are carrying out attacks and issuing threats against some people,” the police said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The announcement came following reports of attacks on ruling party legislators Ibrahim “Mavota” Shareef and Mohamed Nihad. Shareef was assaulted in a hotel in Male, while Nihad was attacked in the southern city of Addu, according to local media reports.
Ahmed Mahloof, the minister for youth and sports, suggested the opposition was behind the attacks. “We haven’t even finished voting yet. But gangs are being mobilised to attack Mavota Shareef and Nihad,” he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Maldivians must ask themselves if they want a return to this fear.”
ÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞ¯ÞÞªÞÞ§ ÞÞªÞÞšÞÞ.
ÞÞšÞÞ§ ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞÞÞ°ÞÞªÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞÞÞ°ÞÞªÞÞ°ÞÞ®ÞÞ°ÞÞ¬ÞÞ° ÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞ© ÞÞŠÞÞ¯ÞÞ§ ÞÞŠÞÞ©ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞ¬ÞÞÞÞ© ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ§ÞÞ©ÞÞŠ. ÞÞÞÞŠ ÞÞŠÞÞ© ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞ©ÞÞ©ÞÞ¬ ÞÞ¬ÞÞ°ÞÞÞÞª ÞÞ®ÞÞ©ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞ¬ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ°ÞÞ®ÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞÞš ÞÞŠÞÞ®Þ Þª ÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞšÞÞ¬ ÞÞšÞÞ°ÞÞ«ÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞŠÞ Þ§ÞÞ§ÞÞŠ.
ÞÞšÞÞ¬ÞÞšÞÞ° ÞÞÞÞªÞÞ°ÞÞŠÞÞ© ÞÞšÞÞšÞÞªÞÞ¬ÞÞšÞÞŠÞÞŠÞÞ° ÞÞšÞÞ§ÞÞ°ÞÞÞެ⊠pic.twitter.com/C6uWKGc3J6
— Ahmed Mahloof (@AhmedMahloof) September 30, 2023
High turnout in knife-edge presidential run-off
The Maldives election commission said 70 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots by 3pm local time (10:00 GMT), with two hours to go before polling stations close.
Polling opened at 8am local time (03:00 GMT) and will close at 5pm (12:00 GMT). Vote counting begins immediately afterwards, and the results will likely be known within hours.
Some 282,804 people in the country of 500,000 people are eligible to vote.
Run-off looks too close to call: Analyst
Muizzu emerged as the surprise frontrunner in the first round of polling on September 8, winning some 46 percent of the vote to Solih’s 39 percent.
But with the incumbent leader ramping up his campaign – including with pledges of handouts and warnings of a return to authoritarianism should his opponent win, the run-off looks too close to call, according to observers.
“It’s going to be a very tight contest,” said Ahmed Shaheed, a former Maldives foreign minister and professor of international human rights law at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. “I don’t think anyone is in a position to comfortably declare that the election is theirs.”
What’s at stake in Maldives’ presidential run-off?
The run-off presidential election in the Maldives could determine the fate of the country’s nascent democracy as well as its ties with China and India, according to analysts.
The vote pits President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who has championed an India-first policy, against the mayor of the capital, Mohamed Muizzu, whose opposition coalition sought closer ties with China and oversaw a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent while in power from 2013-18.
Read more here.