Elections in the Maldives Will Be Closely Monitored by China and India
On Saturday, voters in the Maldives participated in a fiercely fought election for president of the Indian Ocean archipelago, which was perceived as an effort by China and India to gain influence. In the tourist hotspot on the Indian Ocean, President Ibrahim Solih has promoted a “India-first” policy while in office and is running for a second five-year term. In the surveys, he seems to be marginally in the lead.
His major competitor, Mohamed Muizzu, is supported by a coalition that has a history of having ties to China. After former president Abdulla Yameen was barred from running for office by the Supreme Court in August as a result of his conviction for corruption and money laundering, he joined the race.
The polls shut at 4 p.m. (1100 GMT), and if the race is close, the results will likely be announced on Sunday. If no candidate wins a majority, the winner will be determined by a second-round vote on September 30.
On Saturday, 520,000 people were anticipated to cast ballots, or almost half of the population. On 187 islands, thousands of voters showed up early at more than 570 voting places. Additionally, Maldivians cast their ballots in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India. Additionally, they will cast ballots in Abu Dhabi and Britain.
Voting has started and all polling places are open. We anticipated a modest attendance in the beginning. However, the number of individuals lining up extremely early caught us off guard, said Fuwad Thowfeek, head of the Elections Commission, to Reuters. “So far, there have been no hiccups or delays; everything is proceeding as planned.”
According to a 384-person survey conducted by the Baani Center think tank and released last month, 21% of respondents supported Solih, while 14% supported Muizzu. According to the organization, 53% of voters were still unsure three weeks before the election. The number of “undecideds” in this month’s survey is the highest since Baani started conducting monthly polls in April.
