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Maldives President Muizzu's Party Faces Defeat in Male Mayoral Election Amidst Diplomatic Tensions with India

In a pivotal political development, Adam Azim secures a landslide victory in Male's Mayoral election, dealing a blow to President Muizzu. The pro-India Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) triumphs, signaling a shift in the political landscape. With a significant lead, Azim's win revitalizes MDP's influence, despite a low voter turnout. This election unfolds amidst a diplomatic row with India, sparked by derogatory comments from Muizzu's government officials.
Mohamed Muizzu

Male: In a significant setback for Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, the pro-India opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has clinched a resounding victory in the Male Mayoral election. Adam Azim, the MDP candidate, emerged victorious, securing the post previously held by Muizzu. The Maldives media has described Azim's win as a "landslide" victory.

With 41 boxes counted, Azim amassed a substantial lead with 5,303 votes, while his rival Aishath Azima Shakoor of Muizzu's People’s National Congress (PNC) received 3,301 votes, as reported by Maldives’ Sun Online news portal. Despite a low voter turnout, Azim's win is anticipated to rejuvenate the political fortunes of the MDP, which still holds a majority in the Parliament.

Muizzu, who returned from a five-day state visit to China, extended congratulations to Azim and expressed willingness to cooperate with the Male City Council and the newly elected Mayor. Azim, in turn, declared his victory as a triumph for all residents of Male and expressed gratitude to his supporters, MDP's leadership, and campaign teams.

The Male Mayoral election took place against the backdrop of derogatory comments posted by three deputy ministers of the Muizzu government against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to a diplomatic row with India. During his high-profile visit to China, Muizzu sought to align Maldives more closely with Beijing. Following the social media postings that sparked concerns in India and calls for a tourist boycott, Muizzu suspended the three ministers. Indian tourists, ranking highest in numbers, had expressed their discontent, followed by Russian tourists, while Chinese tourists occupied the third position.

—Input from Agencies

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