Maldives Elections: Muizzu's Party Scores Landslide Victory Amid His Pro-China Push — Updates

The Maldives election marks a pivotal moment in Mohamed Muizzu's tenure, characterised by a shift towards China since assuming office last September.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) emerged victorious in Sunday's parliamentary election in the Maldives. Results announced by the Elections Commission of Maldives revealed that the PNC secured 66 out of the initial 86 declared seats, guaranteeing a super-majority in the 93-member parliament, known as the Majlis, news agency AFP reported.

The outcome of the election reflects strong support for Muizzu's agenda, particularly his inclination towards strengthening ties with China and reducing reliance on India, a traditional ally and regional powerhouse.

Here Are The Key Updates:

• Against the backdrop of its pristine beaches and luxury resorts, the Maldives finds itself at the centre of a geopolitical tug-of-war between India and China, both keen on extending their influence over this strategically positioned island nation in the Indian Ocean. As global east-west shipping routes pass through the region, the outcome of Sunday's election carries significant implications for regional dynamics.
  
  
• The landslide victory marks a significant turnaround for Muizzu and his party, which had struggled to advance their legislative agenda due to a lack of majority in the outgoing parliament, despite his successful presidential election victory in September.

  On the other hand, the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) suffered a severe setback, with projections indicating a significant decrease in their representation in the parliament, compared to their previous super-majority status, AFP reported.
  
  

• Muizzu, 45, was one of the early voters on Sunday, casting his ballot at a polling station in the capital Male, where he previously served as mayor. He encouraged Maldivians to participate actively in the electoral process. "All citizens should come out and exercise their right to vote as soon as possible," Muizzu told reporters, as quoted by AFP.

  Under Muizzu's leadership, the PNC has advocated for closer economic cooperation with China, including ambitious plans for infrastructure development, such as constructing thousands of apartments on contentious reclaimed land.
  
  
• “Geopolitics is very much in the background as the parties campaign for votes in Sunday's election. He came to power on a promise to send back Indian troops and he is working on it. The parliament has not been cooperating with him since he came to power,” AFP quoted a senior aide of Muizzu as saying.
  
  
• Muizzu's presidency, initially perceived as a continuation of his pro-China predecessor Abdulla Yameen's policies, has witnessed a notable departure from pro-India approaches, raising concerns in New Delhi.
  
  
• Since Muizzu assumed the presidency, tensions have flared between him and Yameen, resulting in a rift between the two, in response to which the latter formed a party known as the People's National Front, which, too is taking part in the elections.
  
  
• The Maldives, known for its exquisite natural beauty, emerged as a geopolitical hotspot in recent times, marked by the expulsion of Indian military personnel and the awarding of key infrastructure contracts to Chinese state-owned enterprises.
  
  
• Tensions further escalated following disparaging remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visit to Lakshadweep, prompting a diplomatic fallout between the two nations.
  
  Although the Maldivian government swiftly distanced itself from the derogatory comments and took disciplinary action against three ministers involved, the incident underscored the deepening rift between Male and New Delhi.