Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) emerged victorious in a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections held on Sunday.
Provisional results from the Elections Commission of Maldives revealed that the PNC had secured more than two-thirds of the seats in the 93-member parliament, with 66 out of 86 seats declared.
The formal ratification of the results is anticipated to take approximately a week, and the new assembly is slated to assume office from early May.
The election outcome is widely viewed as a crucial test for Muizzu’s agenda to forge closer economic ties with China, a departure from the traditional ally of Maldives, India. Muizzu’s victory signals a significant shift in the country’s geopolitical landscape, with the PNC securing a super-majority in parliament after previously holding only a minor presence in the outgoing assembly.
President Dr @MMuizzu cast his ballot in the 2024 Parliamentary Elections. The voting process took place at the polling station for the President’s constituency at the Thaajudheen School. pic.twitter.com/p4pHuXzx2R
— The President’s Office (@presidencymv) April 21, 2024
Notably, the composition of the new parliament reflects a stark gender disparity, with only three women candidates out of a total of 41 being elected. The dominance of the PNC and its allies underscores the electorate’s endorsement of Muizzu’s policies, including plans for large-scale land reclamation projects and infrastructure development, often in collaboration with Chinese state-owned companies.
Muizzu’s victory comes amid heightened tensions in the Indian Ocean region, where the Maldives occupies a strategically significant position. His administration’s decision to award infrastructure contracts to Chinese firms and the impending departure of Indian troops stationed in the Maldives underscore the evolving dynamics of regional power politics.
The election results also mark a setback for the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which suffered a humiliating defeat, securing only a fraction of the seats it previously held. Muizzu’s presidency, which began with his election victory in September, has seen efforts to realign Maldivian diplomacy away from India and towards China, a trend that has faced resistance from the outgoing parliament.
Despite concerns raised by environmentalists over Muizzu’s land reclamation policies and their potential impact on sea level rise, the President has reiterated his commitment to ambitious infrastructure projects aimed at mitigating the vulnerability of the Maldives to climate change.
As the new parliament prepares to assume office, the Maldives is poised to navigate a shifting geopolitical landscape, with implications for regional security and economic cooperation. Muizzu’s victory consolidates his mandate to pursue his administration’s agenda, marking a significant chapter in the country’s political evolution.
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