Maldives Elections: President Muizzu's Pro-China Agenda Set To Prevail As His Party Wins Super-Majority In Parliament

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) party has won a decisive victory in the parliamentary elections, securing more than two-thirds of the seats as per a report by NDTV.

This outcome is seen as a significant endorsement of Muizzu's pro-China stance and his efforts to reduce dependence on India, the country's traditional ally.

The PNC, along with its allies, is set to dominate the new parliament, having already secured more than enough seats for a super-majority.

This result marks a stark contrast to the outgoing parliament, where the PNC had only eight seats, hampering Muizzu's ability to implement his agenda following his presidential election win in September.

Despite this resounding victory, the election results have raised concerns about gender representation, with only three women elected out of 41 candidates.

Additionally, Muizzu's plans for economic cooperation with China, including controversial land reclamation projects, have faced criticism from environmentalists.

The Maldives, a nation of small coral islands highly vulnerable to sea level rise, has been at the centre of geopolitical tensions in the Indian Ocean.

Muizzu's administration has recently awarded infrastructure contracts to Chinese companies and is in the process of sending home Indian troops stationed in the country.

The outgoing parliament, controlled by the pro-India Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has sought to hinder Muizzu's efforts to realign Maldivian foreign policy.

However, with the PNC's overwhelming victory, Muizzu is expected to have a more unrestrained hand in implementing his agenda.