Maldives Election 2024: President Mohamed Muizzu’s Anti-India Policy Faces Litmus Test

Today, the Maldives is holding its fourth multi-party parliamentary election, a significant event that serves as a test for President Mohamed Muizzu’s policies, particularly those perceived as anti-India.

There are 368 candidates vying for 93 seats in the parliament, and approximately 285,000 Maldivians are eligible to cast their votes. The atmosphere leading up to the election has been tense, with the main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), trading accusations with Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC). Results are expected to be announced by early Monday.

The Maldives, renowned for its luxurious resorts and stunning beaches, has recently become a focal point of geopolitical tensions due to various developments, including the expulsion of Indian military personnel and the awarding of significant infrastructure contracts to Chinese state-owned companies. Muizzu, elected as a proxy for the pro-China former president Abdulla Yameen, has demonstrated a leaning towards China and a distancing from India since assuming office.

Muizzu’s decisions, such as granting lucrative infrastructure contracts to Chinese companies, underscore his alignment with China. His call for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives earlier this year further accentuated this shift in alignment. Despite high-level discussions between India and the Maldives, Muizzu has remained steadfast in his stance, aiming to fulfill his campaign promise of removing Indian troops from the archipelago.

These elections hold particular importance for India due to the dominance of the pro-India Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the current parliament, led by former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The MDP has actively opposed Muizzu’s efforts to reorient the Maldives’ foreign policy and strengthen ties with neighboring countries, including India. India hopes that the MDP will secure a majority in the parliament, enabling robust legislative oversight over executive decisions, especially those related to foreign policy and strategic alliances.