Maldives’ pro-China president has ‘nothing to block him’ after big poll win: ‘India is concerned’
- A thumping victory for his party in this month’s parliamentary elections has put the diplomatic ball firmly in President Mohamed Muizzu’s court
- India will fret over his strategic nation’s recent military pact with China. But observers say Maldives is simply ‘too small’ to be taking sides
Muizzu’s administration is expected to tone down its anti-India rhetoric, with a former top official saying the country was “too small” to be taking sides.
His People’s National Congress bagged 70 out of 93 seats in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results – enough to secure absolute control of parliament, alongside the three seats secured by allies.
“There will be nothing to block him on whatever policy initiative he wants to take because the opposition has been badly defeated,” said Manoj Joshi, a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation who specialises in international politics. “However, he has signalled that he would like to keep his equation with India on an even keel. I don’t think we will see anything dramatic.”
