Highlights: The pro-Chinese candidate, Mohamed Muizzu, won this Saturday, September 30, the presidential election in the Maldives. The election could lead to a rapprochement with Beijing in a highly strategic region. Turnout was 85% in the second round, during which the Transparency Maldives noted some incidents of "electoral violence" The Maldives is located on one of the busiest maritime routes in the world, in an area where India and China compete for influence. The current president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has tried, during his mandate, to improve relations with New Delhi.

This new presidential term could give a Chinese accent to politics in the Maldives. The pro-Chinese candidate, Mohamed Muizzu, won this Saturday, September 30, the presidential election in the second...

Maldives: clear victory of the pro-Chinese presidential candidate

Mohamed Muizzu was elected President of the Maldives on Saturday, September 30, 2023. AFP - MOHAMED AFRAH

By: RFI Follow

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The pro-Chinese candidate Mohamed Muizzu won Saturday, September 30 the presidential election in the Maldives by clearly ahead of the outgoing head of state Mohamed Solih, who has worked to strengthen ties with India, traditional ally of the archipelago.

According to the results of the electoral commission, Mr. Muizzu, 45, obtained 54.06% of the vote against the now 61-year-old ex-president, who immediately conceded defeat by sending his "congratulations" to his rival, on X (ex-Twitter).

The election could lead to a rapprochement with Beijing in a highly strategic region. Mecca of luxury tourism, this archipelago of the Indian Ocean is located on one of the busiest maritime routes in the world, in an area where India and China compete for influence.

Mohamed Muizzu, whose party entered Beijing's orbit during the tenure of his mentor Abdulla Yameen (2013-2018), defended China's financial largesse tooth and nail. The Maldives has benefited from the gigantic Chinese investment project in developing countries as part of the "new silk roads".

"The people participated in a democratic and peaceful process"

The first round of the presidential election had already given a comfortable lead to Mr. Muizzu (46.1% against 39.1%) against outgoing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who has tried, during his mandate, to improve tense relations with New Delhi.

In conceding defeat, Solih said he "congratulated the people who participated in a democratic and peaceful process." Turnout was 85% in the second round, during which the watchdog Transparency Maldives noted some incidents of "electoral violence". Police said they had arrested 14 people for violating election rules.

Pro-Chinese turn

In 2018, Solih scored a surprise victory for the presidency by succeeding Yameen, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for corruption and money laundering. He blamed his predecessor for pushing the country into the trap of Chinese debt by borrowing heavily for infrastructure. At the time, Yameen's government's shift to Beijing alarmed New Delhi, which shares Western concerns about China's growing assertiveness in the Indian Ocean.

Upon coming to power, Solih moved quickly to restore the archipelago's relations with New Delhi, inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend his inauguration and allowing his small military presence to be strengthened. During his re-election campaign, he sought to rally support by campaigning on local issues such as housing.

Mr. Muizzu's party had focused the debate on diplomacy by criticizing Mr. Solih's rapprochement with India, a country with disproportionate political and economic weight in the Maldives and object of long-standing disaffection. His PPM party and militant groups have regularly staged protests demanding a reduction in Indian influence in the Muslim nation. During the campaign, Muizzu's allies even claimed that his election would help rid the country of foreign interference.

Muizzu, however, has openly stated his plans to follow the pro-Beijing line of his mentor Yameen. "We look forward to returning to government in 2023 ... to write a new chapter of strong ties between our two countries," he said at a meeting with members of the Chinese Communist Party last year.

During the campaign, however, former Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed assured AFP that the next president "will have to find a balance, the interests of India and China", before warning: "You cannot reject India and survive".

Maldives: clear victory of the pro-Chinese presidential candidate

Maldives: clear victory of the pro-Chinese presidential candidate

Pro-Chinese turn

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