Maldives Parliamentary Election Results
There were 368 candidates in all, including 130 independents, 10 Jumhoory Party (JP) candidates, 39 Democrats, 4 Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) candidates, 4 Adhaalath Party (AP) candidates, and 2 nominees from the Maldives National Party (MNP).
In Sunday’s pivotal parliamentary election, which is seen as a litmus test for the pro-Beijing politician whose policies are being closely watched by both India and China in light of regional power dynamics, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won over 60 seats, giving them a “supermajority” in Parliament.
Voter Turnout and Demographics
Voter turnout was 72.96 percent, with 207,693 ballots cast as of 5:00 pm local time, according to information given by the Elections Commission (EC). There are 102,867 women and 104,826 males in this total. In the 20th People’s Majlis, 284,663 voters may choose representatives for 93 constituencies.
Preliminary Election Results
Preliminary results show that the PNC led by Muizzu won more than 60 seats, or about two thirds of the 93 seats in the People’s Majlis. The PNC under Muizzu won 67 seats, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) came in second with 12 seats, and Independents took home 10 seats, based on trends. Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) each received one. The Adhaalath Party (AP), the Democrats, and the Maldives National Party (MNP) have not yet opened their accounts.
The MDP, which was in power at the time, secured a supermajority in the 2019 elections, winning 64 seats to the opposition PPM-PNC coalition’s eight. The main opposition MDP, which had controlled the cities in previous elections, suffered a significant defeat to the main ruling PNC, which won all of the Maldives’ cities on Sunday. According to preliminary results, PNC won most of the seats in Fuvahmulah City, Addu City, and Male City.
MDP’s Reaction
According to media sources, candidates supported by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the Democrats, founded by former President Mohamed Nasheed, have not won any seats. The MDP, meanwhile, declared that the election’s outcomes fell short of what the party had “hoped for.”
“The people of the Maldives and democratic ideals will always be the priority for the @MDPSecretariat, even though the outcomes did not meet our expectations. True development requires unity and persistence. To every MDP member who was elected with a seat in this election, congratulations. #MisraabuHamaMagah,” MDP spokesperson Mohamed Faisal stated.
Voting Process and Complaints
For the parliamentary election, 602 poll boxes were erected in the Maldives and three other nations. Additionally, 34 resorts, jails, and other industrial islands had polling places open. According to psmnews.mv, voting ballot boxes were positioned in Thiruvananthapuram, India; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The election is crucial for Muizzu, seen as a pro-China politician, as just a few days ahead of the polls, the opposition parties demanded a probe and impeachment of the president following a leaked report of his alleged corruption from 2018, a charge dismissed by him. In addition, MPs have blocked three of Muizzu’s cabinet nominees since he took office.
After casting his vote, Muizzu spoke with reporters and advised everyone to use their right to vote as soon as possible, according to news portal edition.mv.
Every individual has the constitutional right and obligation to vote. As soon as possible, every citizen ought to exercise their right to vote. It is the duty of eligible voters to promptly go to their designated polling places in the evening and cast their ballots, he stated.
Complaints During Voting
As of right now, no significant complaints have been reported. Regarding the display of ballot papers, concerns have been made. That instance, grievances concerning votes that are placed in the box without being folded, according to EC member and spokesperson Hassan Zakariyya, as reported by the Adhadhu news portal.
There haven’t been many of these complaints, he added. At a Male polling place, former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who is currently a top advisor for the main opposition MDP, cast his ballot. Speaking with reporters outside the polling place, Solih predicted that the MDP would gain a resounding majority in the election, according to the sun.mv news portal.
“By the end of today’s voting, we expect the MDP will be able to gain a sizable majority. This has been observed both today and during the campaign,” the speaker stated.
Regional Implications
India was compelled to evacuate the majority of the military troops stationed at its three aviation sites; nonetheless, Muizzu visited China in January and had meetings with President Xi Jinping and other high-ranking Chinese officials. A defense cooperation pact and numerous other infrastructure development projects were also inked by China and the Maldives.
The Maldives is India’s principal maritime neighbor in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a particular position in government programs like the “Neighbourhood First Policy” and “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region). However, China is deepening its influence in the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) by means of its “debt trap” diplomacy and “String of Pearls” policy, a calculated move to develop a network of military and commercial facilities in nations bordering the Indian Ocean.
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