Maldives Government Acknowledges Opposition Victory
The Maldivian government Monday acknowledged that the main opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had defeated President Abdulla Yameen in an election, amid international calls for him to concede.
Nearly 90% of the 262,000 electorates turned out to vote, with some waiting in line for more than five hours as officials encountered technical glitches.
Celebrations broke out across the 1,200-island tropical archipelago popular with wealthy foreign tourists, with opposition supporters carrying yellow flags of Solih’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and dancing in the streets.
“This election marks not only the triumph of democratic forces in the Maldives but also reflects the firm commitment to the values of democracy and the rule of law,” the foreign ministry said.
