Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Maldives opposition declares victory over autocratic ruler in presidential election
Source: Washington Post
Maldives opposition declares victory over autocratic ruler in presidential election
By Joanna Slater
September 23 at 4:36 PM
NEW DELHI — The opposition candidate declared victory on Sunday in the presidential election in the Maldives, an unexpected blow to the country’s authoritarian leader, who had made a bid to consolidate power by jailing opponents and overruling the judiciary.
Known for its pristine beaches and turquoise seas, the Maldives is an archipelago off the southwestern coast of India whose strategic location makes it the center of a tussle for influence by much larger countries.
Its incumbent president, Yameen Abdul Gayoom, courted large loans and investments from China and Saudi Arabia to the displeasure of such nations as India and the United States. At the same time, he grew increasingly autocratic, cracking down on dissent and undermining parliament.
Yameen’s opponent, a veteran lawmaker named Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from the Maldivian Democratic Party, declared victory in a news conference on Sunday. Solih represented a coalition of four opposition parties whose leaders are either in detention or in exile.
-snip-
By Joanna Slater
September 23 at 4:36 PM
NEW DELHI — The opposition candidate declared victory on Sunday in the presidential election in the Maldives, an unexpected blow to the country’s authoritarian leader, who had made a bid to consolidate power by jailing opponents and overruling the judiciary.
Known for its pristine beaches and turquoise seas, the Maldives is an archipelago off the southwestern coast of India whose strategic location makes it the center of a tussle for influence by much larger countries.
Its incumbent president, Yameen Abdul Gayoom, courted large loans and investments from China and Saudi Arabia to the displeasure of such nations as India and the United States. At the same time, he grew increasingly autocratic, cracking down on dissent and undermining parliament.
Yameen’s opponent, a veteran lawmaker named Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from the Maldivian Democratic Party, declared victory in a news conference on Sunday. Solih represented a coalition of four opposition parties whose leaders are either in detention or in exile.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/maldives-opposition-declares-victory-over-autocratic-ruler-in-presidential-election/2018/09/23/1cffea2c-bf37-11e8-9f4f-a1b7af255aa5_story.html
