Campaigning in the Maldives’ fourth multi-party parliamentary elections has entered the final stretch. Voting will take place on April 21. The fracturing of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and the fraying of old loyalties, have thrown traditional voter allegiances into question, injecting unpredictability into the contest. In … Read more
President Mohamed Muizzu took office in the Maldives in November 2023. Muizzu is a pro-China, anti-India president who has promoted an “India Out” policy, calling for the withdrawal of Indian troops who had been stationed in the Maldives. He also allowed a Chinese military research vessel (which the Indian media referred to as a “spy … Read more
New Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu appeared to have a successful visit to China last week. Breaking the tradition of a new Maldivian president making his first trip to India, Muizzu went to Turkey for his first official visit, followed by the United Arab Emirates for the U.N. climate change meeting, COP28. On the sidelines, Muizzu … Read more
The already troubled India-Maldives relationship is under fresh strain following a spat over disparaging remarks made by Maldivian ministers about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. Although the Maldivian government under newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu was swift in distancing itself from the offensive remarks — its Foreign Ministry issued a statement … Read more
A widening political rift between former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and President Mohamed Muizzu, who assumed office on November 17, is casting new uncertainties over the Maldives’ political direction. This rift intensified on November 24 when Yameen exited the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), a party historically linked to him that is presently in … Read more
On December 1, following his first meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai, Maldives’ newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu announced that India had agreed to withdraw troops from his country. Muizzu’s election campaign had focused on an “India Out” plank. A day after his electoral win … Read more
Hours after his swearing-in as Maldives’ new president, Mohamed Muizzu “formally requested” India to “withdraw its military personnel” from the Indian Ocean archipelago. According to a press release from the President’s Office, the formal request was made during a meeting between Muizzu and India’s Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju, who was in Malé for … Read more
Advertisement Maldives is one of South Asia’s youngest democracies, having adopted its new constitution and held its first multiparty democratic elections only in 2008. This September, the country concluded its fourth multi-party presidential election, which was conducted in a largely peaceful and competitive manner. The incumbent, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), … Read more
President-elect of the Maldives Mohamed Muiz attends a victory celebration in Male, Maldives, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan Advertisement Maldives elected a new president on September 30, and it is not Ibrahim Solih, the incumbent. The opposition candidate, Mohamed Muizzu, received 54 percent of the vote against Solih’s 46 percent. With the … Read more
Videos | Politics | South Asia Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor and JJ Robinson discuss the domestic politics behind President-elect Muizzu’s win and the foreign policy implications going forward. Maldives’ main opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu participates in a rally as he concludes his campaign for the second round of presidential election in capital Male, Maldives, Sept.29, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Mohamed SharuhaanAdvertisement … Read more