Muizzu secures super majority in Parliament polls
Muizzu, 45, known for his pro-China leanings, has said that he wants to reduce India’s influence in his country.
Muizzu celebrates victory on Monday
MALE: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won 71 seats and secured a “super majority” in parliamentary elections, preliminary results suggested on Monday, a victory seen as a strong endorsement of his pro-Beijing foreign policy, as both India and China closely watched the outcome of the polls in the archipelago nation.
Muizzu-led People’s National Congress (PNC) won 68 out of 93 seats in Sunday’s polls and its coalition partners Maldives National Party and Maldives Development Alliance won one and two seats, respectively, which is more than two-thirds of the Parliament, landing the party an easy supermajority with the power to amend Constitution.
Local media, which has described his party’s win as a “super majority”, said the PNC is set to celebrate its landslide victory here on an artificial beach on Monday night. The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), held 65 seats in the previous parliament but won only 15 seats this time, Mihaaru, a news website, reported.
Muizzu, 45, known for his pro-China leanings, has said that he wants to reduce India’s influence in his country.
PNC Chairperson and Special Advisor to the President Abdul Raheem Abdulla said the results showed that Maldivians did not want the country to be driven into political unrest again.
