Maldives’ main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) party has won a clear majority in Parliament, results showed on Sunday. President Mohamed Muizzu’s PNC won 66 of the first 86 seats declared, according to the Elections Commission of Maldives results, which is enough for a super-majority in the 93-member majlis, or parliament.
The vote was key for Muizzu’s aim to strengthen economic ties with China. With the PNC and its allies holding just eight seats in the previous parliament, Muizzu’s plans were hampered after his presidential win in September due to the lack of a majority.
Muizzu’s election as president last year saw Malé leaning towards Beijing, with the new leader taking a pro-China stand and acting to remove Indian troops stationed on one of the country’s islets. Six political parties and independent groups had fielded 368 candidates for 93 seats in Parliament.
The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) — which had previously had a majority of its own — was headed for a defeat with just a dozen seats. Muizzu, 45, had been among the first to vote Sunday, casting his ballot at a school in the capital Male and urging Maldivians to turn out in high numbers.
His earlier campaign theme for the presidential election was “India out,” accusing his predecessor of compromising national sovereignty. Earlier, Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives operated two aircraft donated by India and assisted in the rescue of people stranded or faced with calamities at sea. Muizzu has taken steps to have civilians take over those activities.
Relations strained further when Indian social media activists started a boycott campaign of Maldives tourism. That was in retaliation for three Maldivian deputy ministers making derogatory statements about Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising the idea of promoting tourism in Lakshadweep, India’s own string of islands similar to the Maldives.
According to recent Maldives government statistics, the number of Indian tourists has fallen, dropping that country from being the top source of foreign visitors to No. 6. Muizzu visited China earlier this year and negotiated an increase in the number of tourists and inbound flights from China.
(With agency inputs)
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