New Delhi: Maldives has elected a new president with the opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu in the lead with 54% of votes against the incumbent President Mohamed Solih in the second and final run-off for the presidential polls on Saturday.The state broadcaster Public Service Media declared Mohamed Muizzu as the president-elect at around 8:45 pm local time.Congratulations, President-Elect Dr. Mohamed Muiz! pic.twitter.com/4tdAP3NAVl— Public Service Media (@psm_mkt) September 30, 2023ދިވެހި ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާގެ އިންތިޚާބީ ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ ޑރ. މުޙައްމަދު މުއިއްޒު އަށް މަރުޙަބާ!#Riyaaseeinthikhaab23 pic.twitter.com/Q8AkA1FfZH— PSM News (@psmnewsmv) September 30, 2023More than 86% of eligible voters had turned out to cast their votes at the booths for the second round, which was much higher than the 79% recorded in the first round on September 9.From the start of the counting at 5:30 pm, Muizzu had garnered a strong lead and Solih never really caught up. As per preliminary results, Muizzi got 53% of the votes to 46% for Solih.The results were not a surprise as Muizzu had a big lead of five points over Solih in the first round too. In the end, President Solih did not have enough political allies to bridge the gap, with none of the other parties endorsing him.One of the constituents of the ruling coalition, MDA had, in fact, withdrawn their support and endorsed Muizzu.A former housing minister, Muizzu had been a mayor of the capital city Malé before he was fielded as the candidate for the opposition coalition of PPM-PNC. He had actually been the second choice for the presidential candidate as former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom could not get relief from the court to stand for elections due to his conviction for money laundering and bribery.The MDP-led government of President Solih had been perceived to be exceptionally close to India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inaugural ceremony for Solih after the 2018 presidential elections. It had marked the end of a rocky five years of bilateral ties under President Yameen when he allowed Chinese influence to spread in Maldives.The PPM-PNC had launched an ‘India Out’ campaign a couple of years ago to demand the withdrawal of any Indian troops in Maldives. The presidential campaign also saw a high-voltage pitch to tar Solih administration as having allowed Indian troops to be stationed on the Indian Ocean island.
