His main pro-China rival, Mohamed Moizu, won election as the new president of the Maldives after promoting an “India out” policy to oppose Indian influence over the Maldives.
Foreign news agencies report, October 1, 2023, on the results of the second round of the presidential elections in the Maldives. Which was held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, it emerged that Mr. Mohamed Muzo, the 45-year-old mayor of Male City, the country’s capital, favors China and promotes an “India out” policy against Indian influence over the Maldives. He defeated his main competitor, President Mohamed Solih, with 54% of the votes, compared to 46% for the current president.
Reports indicate that Mr. Solih has admitted defeat. After receiving only 46% of the votes and congratulating the new president. Mr Solih will serve as the country’s leader until Mr Muzo is officially sworn in as president on November 17, 2023.
The first round of elections was held on September 8, 2023, which Mr. Muzo won and surprised Muzo with a support rate of 46%, which is higher than the current president’s support rate of 39%, but Muzo’s support is still less than half of the total voters. This led to the Maldives holding a second round of elections on 30 September.
By the way, yesterday’s elections are very important elections for the direction of Maldives’ foreign policy. This is because the Maldives has been a country under India’s influence for a long time. The current president, Mr. Solih, 61, of the Maldivian Democratic Party, has pursued a foreign policy he calls “foreign policy.” ‘India First Policy’ Since taking office in 2018, the Maldives is one of the important strategic points for India. In monitoring various movements in the Indian Ocean
Meanwhile, the main contender for the presidency is Mr Muzo, 45, of the Progressive Alliance Party and the opposition coalition. Instead, there is a foreign policy tilted toward China. And support the strengthening of relations between China and the Maldives. We are ready to raise the slogan “India Out” throughout the election campaign
Mr. Muzo has played an important role in many development projects. The previous government, especially receiving funding for national development from the One Belt Project. One Belt, One Road, which Mr Moizo met with Chinese Communist Party officials at a meeting last year if Mr Moizo’s party becomes the government and wants the Maldives and China to have closer ties.
In the past few years, China has rapidly expanded its influence in the Indian Ocean. Especially the increased role of the army in this region. China also wants to protect energy export and import routes from the Middle East to the Indian Ocean. This is certainly something a competing country like India does not want to happen.
As a result, over the past decade India has provided two helicopters and a small aircraft to the Maldives, and in 2021, India will deploy 75 soldiers to the Maldives to undertake maintenance and servicing of the aircraft delivered by India.
However, allowing Indian soldiers to be stationed in the Maldives has drawn criticism from the opposition. Pointing out that it allows India to infringe on the country’s sovereignty. He demanded that the Indian army leave the Maldives.
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