Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was announced the winner of the Maldives' presidential election on Monday, after claiming an unassailable lead over strongman President Abdulla Yameen.

The Maldives electoral commission released provisional results declaring Solih the winner with 58.3 percent of the vote.

In his victory speech, Soli described the win as a "moment of happiness, hope and history."

"I call on Yameen to respect the will of the people and bring about a peaceful, smooth transfer of power," said Solih. "The message is loud and clear. People want justice and stability and we will ensure accountability."

Election watchdog Transparency Maldives also tweeted a statement on the vote, saying: "Based on our quick count, we are confident to announce that Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has won the 2018 presidential election."

President concedes defeat

Later on Monday, President Yameen conceded defeat to Solih during a live television address and promised to ensure a smooth transition for the president-elect.

"I have accepted the results from yesterday," Yameen said. "I know I have to step down. I will enable a smooth transition."

Yameen oversaw a sweeping crackdown on political dissent during his five years in office, detaining several rivals including his own half brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had himself ruled the country for 30 years.

In keeping with the constitution, Yameen said he would complete his term on November 17 before handing over the presidency.

Contentious vote

Solih's victory marks a major upset after polls had largely predicted Yameen to win. The president's purge of the opposition also saw most of the opposition media muzzled.

Solih, who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, also warned that the president's backers could try to rig the election. His party offices were raided the night before voting began.

Despite the looming threats of disturbances, the Foreign Ministry said that there was no reported violence and that voting went ahead "smoothly and peacefully."

More than a quarter of a million people were eligible to vote out of the island nation's population of around 400,000. According to the electoral commission, turnout was particularly high at 89.2 percent.

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Some cast their vote because they wanted to see change.

"I am voting to revert a mistake I made in 2013," Nazima Hassan told Reuters news agency. "I am voting to free President Maumoon Gayoom."

As the first signs of an opposition upset became clear, Solih's supporters flooded the streets of the capital, Male, embracing one another and waving Maldivian flags.

Read more: 'Maldives government selling oil to North Korea'

International reaction

Regional superpower India, which is competing with China for influence in the region, was the first country to "heartily congratulate" Solih on his victory, followed by neighboring Sri Lanka, home to many Maldivian dissidents.

Indian daily The Hindu quoted the Maldives' ambassador to India as saying that Solih would assume the presidency on November 17 once Yameen's five-year term has ended.

China, however, which has loaned Yameen's government hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure investments, had yet to comment, with Monday being a public holiday.

dm, ls/rt (AP, AFP)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>Maldives President Abdulla Yameen conceded defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday in a presidential election.

NEW DELHI: Maldives President Abdulla Yameen conceded defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday in a presidential election.

"Maldivian people have decided what they want. I have accepted the results from yesterday. Earlier today, I met with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who the Maldivian electorate has chosen to be their next president. I have congratulated him," Yameen said in a televised press conference.

The country's Elections Commission said Solih won by a margin of 16.7 percent in Sunday's vote.</s>The Maldives' leader Abdulla Yameen on Monday conceded defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the country's presidential elections.

The election commission on Monday declared the Maldivian Democratic Party's Solih the winner with 134,616 or 58.3 percent of the votes, compared to 96,132 votes (41.5 percent) secured by Yameen, backed by the Progressive Party of Maldives.</s>NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Maldives President Abdulla Yameen conceded defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday in a presidential election.

“Maldivian people have decided what they want. I have accepted the results from yesterday. Earlier today, I met with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who the Maldivian electorate has chosen to be their next president. I have congratulated him,” Yameen said in a televised press conference.

The country’s Elections Commission said Solih won by a margin of 16.7 percent in Sunday’s vote.</s>Colombo: The strongman president of the Maldives on Monday conceded defeat in elections, easing fears of a fresh political crisis in the archipelago at the centre of a battle for influence between India and China.

"The Maldivian people have decided what they want. I have accepted the results from yesterday," Abdulla Yameen said in a televised address to the Indian Ocean nation a day after the joint opposition candidate unexpectedly triumphed.

"I accept the defeat," Yameen said. "I will enable a smooth transition."

"Earlier today, I met with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who the Maldivian electorate has chosen to be their next president. I have congratulated him," Yameen said.

There had been concerns at home and abroad that Yameen might not accept the outcome. He had borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars from China for an infrastructure blitz, to the alarm of the Maldives' traditional backer India.

At the last election in 2013, the Supreme Court annulled the result after Yameen trailed former president Mohamed Nasheed, giving Yameen time to forge alliances and win a second round of voting that was postponed twice.

Results from Sunday's election released by the electoral commission showed Yameen on 41.7 percent of the vote, well behind Solih on 58.3 percent - the only other name on ballot papers.

The final official result will take up to a week to be published.

The result was a major surprise, with Yameen's main political rivals either in prison or in exile, media coverage of the opposition sparse and monitors and the opposition predicting the vote would be rigged.

Yameen stayed quiet overnight after the outcome became clear. But signs grew Monday that he would throw in the towel, with a foreign ministry statement saying Solih had won and state media showing him claiming victory.

Nearly 90 percent of the 262,000 electorate turned out to vote, with some waiting in line for more than five hours.

Celebrations broke out across the 1,200-island tropical archipelago popular with wealthy foreign tourists, with opposition supporters waving yellow flags of Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and dancing in the streets.

The US State Department, which had warned of "appropriate measures" if the vote was not free and fair, had called on Yameen to "respect the will of the people".

Regional superpower India, competing with China to retain its influence in the region, was the first to "heartily congratulate" Solih.

"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.

Sri Lanka, home to many Maldivian dissidents, also congratulated him but China was yet to comment, with Monday being a public holiday.

Solih had the backing of a united opposition trying to oust Yameen but struggled for visibility. The local media was fearful of falling foul of heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions.

In February, Yameen imposed a 45-day state of emergency, alarming the international community, in what was seen as an attempt by his opponents in parliament to impeach him.

A crackdown saw former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom — Yameen's half-brother — jailed along with the chief justice and another Supreme Court justice amid accusations of an imminent coup.

On the eve of the poll, police raided the campaign headquarters of the MDP and searched the building for several hours in a bid to stop what they called "illegal activities". There were no arrests.

Nasheed told AFP in Colombo the vote would "bring the country back to the democratic path" and Yameen had no option but to concede defeat.

Independent international monitors were barred from the election and only a handful of foreign media were allowed in to cover the poll.

The Asian Network for Free Elections, a foreign monitoring group that was denied access to the Maldives, said the campaign had been heavily tilted in favour of 59-year-old Yameen.

The government had used "vaguely worded laws to silence dissent and to intimidate and imprison critics", some of whom had been assaulted and even murdered, according to Human Rights Watch.</s>Opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, won the contentious presidential election in the Maldives on Monday, convincingly defeating incumbent, Abdulla Yameen, in what was widely seen as a referendum on the Indian Ocean archipelago’s fragile democracy.

“This is a moment of happiness, a moment of hope,” Solih told reporters in Male. “This is a journey that has ended at the ballot box because the people willed it.”

Solih, who was fielded by the combined opposition, including the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), is expected to take charge on November 17, when Yameen’s five-year term ends.

Yameen, who cultivated ties with China and Saudi Arabia, conceded defeat after the Election Commission said Solih had won Sunday’s election by a margin of 16.7%. The final official result will take up to a week to be published.

The concession and the results were a surprise to the Maldives’ opposition, who had feared Yameen would rig the vote in his favour. Since his election in 2013, the strongman cracked down on political dissent, jailing rivals, including his half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the first democratically elected president, and even Supreme Court judges.

But Yameen soothed concerns over a possible messy transfer of power in a televised address to the nation. “Maldivian people have decided what they want. I have accepted the results from yesterday. Earlier today, I met with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who the Maldivian electorate has chosen to be their next president. I have congratulated him,” he said.

Solih, 56, has already said he will seek to free all political prisoners, including former president, Gayoom. He also wants to rework or scrap deals not made in the best interests of the Maldives, and restore ties with India, which could strain relations with China.

He must also keep together the opposition coalition that includes two fierce rivals, Gayoom and former president, Mohamed Nasheed.

Sohil was a democracy activist during decades of autocratic rule and a former Parliament majority leader. He became the MDP’s presidential candidate after other top figures, including Nasheed, were jailed or exiled by Yameen’s government.

A close confidant of Nasheed and married to one of his cousins, Solih played a leading role in forming the Maldives Political Reform Movement from 2003 until 2008, which culminated in the adoption of a new Constitution.

He campaigned door to door, speaking at rallies about human rights and the rule of law — a message that resonated with voters, who saw signs the Maldives was slipping back to autocratic rule, just a decade after achieving democracy.

MDP leader, Nasheed, in exile in Sri Lanka, had hoped to run again but was disqualified because of an outstanding prison sentence.

India and the US congratulated Solih — popularly known as “Ibu” — on his victory even before Yameen conceded.

“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,” India’s foreign ministry said in a statement. “India looks forward to working closely with the Maldives in further deepening our partnership.”

Solih’s win presents an opportunity for India to rebuild the traditionally strong ties between the two countries in order to counter China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean region.

The US state department congratulated the people of the Maldives for having a peaceful, democratic vote. A statement from spokeswoman Heather Nauert noted the opposition victory and urged “calm and respect for the will of the people” as the election process was being concluded.

Both New Delhi and Washington had been concerned by Beijing’s growing influence in the Maldives and the island nation’s lurch toward more hardline attitudes on religious issues during Yameen’s five years in power.

China has poured billions of dollars into infrastructure projects, including an extension to the international airport in the Maldives and a bridge linking it to the capital Male.

Before the election, the opposition said it will review Chinese investments, partly out of concern over the level of debt entailed, with experts warning the government could fall into a debt trap. The Chinese investment is seen as part of its “String of Pearls” strategy, developing a network of friendly ports in the region from Sri Lanka to Pakistan.

India and Western nations are worried the strategy ultimately aims to help China’s military extend its reach.</s>New Delhi: With flags raised high and dancing on the streets, Maldives cheers for its new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who defeated Abdulla Yameen in the 2018 presidential election to claim the title. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the elections with 134,616 votes. He registered the victory with the backing of a united opposition trying to oust Abdulla Yameen. His party struggled for visibility with the electorate and the media, but the outcome turned out to be favourable. Abdulla Yameen on Monday conceded defeat in elections, easing fears of a fresh political crisis in Maldives. The Indian External Affairs Ministry called for deepening country's partnership and ties with Maldives with a change in the leadership. "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 statement said.</s>Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s candidate, was on Monday declared the winner of the country’s presidential election held on Sunday amid political turmoil in the island nation, with incumbent President Abdulla Yameen conceding defeat.

The Election Commission earlier in the day declared Solih the winner with 134,616 or 58.3 per cent of the votes, compared to 96,132 votes or 41.5 per cent secured by Yameen, backed by the Progressive Party of Maldives, reports Efe news.

Solih will be sworn in on November 17 and his term is expected to continue until 2023.

“I know that I have to step down now,” Yameen, who has been accused of crushing dissent in the archipelago, said in a short speech from the presidential office.

Yameen, whose rule was marred by accusations of despotism, said he accepted the decision made by the people, and urged them “to remain calm and ensure the smooth transition of power”.

In his victory speech, Solih said: “The message is loud and clear. The people of Maldives want change, peace and justice.”

India, which is concerned with the political instability in the Maldives, also welcomed the result.

“We welcome the successful completion of the third presidential election process in the Maldives which, according to preliminary information, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has won,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The island country, home to around 22,000 Indians, is of strategic importance to New Delhi also due to its growing proximity with China.

Exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed said on Twitter that Solih had done “an extremely good service” to the people of Maldives.

These were the third democratic elections in the country, after the adoption of the Constitution in 2008, which paved the road for the establishment of a multi-party democracy in the archipelago.

Sunday’s elections saw a high turnout of 89.22 per cent of the 263,000 eligible voters, the Commission said.

The European Union and US had earlier voiced concerns about the election, with both threatening to impose targeted sanctions if the democratic situation did not improve.

The upheaval in the archipelago worsened after the Supreme Court in February quashed the convictions of nine opposition figures, among them Nasheed, who was ousted from office in 2012.

But after Yameen declared a state of emergency and ordered the arrest of two judges, the court reversed its decision.</s>Colombo: Opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the Maldives’ presidential election, results showed Monday, a surprise defeat for President Abdulla Yameen, following campaign observers said was rigged in the strongman’s favour. Results released by the Elections Commission early Monday morning showed Solih had secured 58.3 per cent of the popular vote.

Celebrations broke out across the tropical archipelago with opposition supporters carrying yellow flags of Solih’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and dancing on the streets. There was no response from Yameen after the results were announced.

Solih had the backing of a united opposition trying to oust Yameen but struggled for visibility with the electorate, with the local media fearful of falling afoul of heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions. There were also no other candidates at Sunday’s election held with all key dissidents either in jail or exile. Earlier in the night, Solih had called on Yameen to concede defeat once the tally showed he had an unassailable lead.

“I call on Yameen to respect the will of the people and bring about a peaceful, smooth transfer of power,” he said on television. He also urged the incumbent to immediately release scores of political prisoners.

Yameen, who was widely tipped to retain power, had jailed or forced into exile almost all of his main rivals.

Before the polls opened, police raided the campaign headquarters of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and searched the building for several hours in a bid to stop what they called “illegal activities”. There were no arrests.

Mohamed Nasheed, the head of the MDP, said the vote would “bring the country back to the democratic path”. Yameen would have no option but to concede defeat, said Nasheed, who was elected president of a newly-democratic Maldives in 2008 but currently lives in exile.

“He will not have people around him who will support him to fight on and stay,” he told AFP.

The polls were closely watched by regional rivals India and China, who are jostling to influence Indian Ocean nations. The European Union and United States, meanwhile, have threatened sanctions if the vote is not free and fair.

Many voters across the Indian Ocean archipelago said they stood in line for over five hours to cast their ballots, while expatriate Maldivians voted in neighbouring Sri Lanka and India. The Elections Commission said balloting was extended by three hours until 7:00 pm (1400 GMT) because of technical glitches suffered by tablet computers containing electoral rolls, with officials using manual systems to verify voters’ identities.

An election official said the deadline was also extended due to a heavy voter turnout, which was later declared at 88 per cent. Yameen voted minutes after the polling booths opened in the capital Male, where opposition campaign efforts had been frustrated by a media crackdown and police harassment.

Some 2,62,000 people in the archipelago — famed for its white beaches and blue lagoons — were eligible to vote in an election from which independent international monitors have been barred. Only a handful of foreign media were allowed in to cover the poll.

The Asian Network for Free Elections, a foreign monitoring group that was denied access to the Maldives, said the campaign had been heavily tilted in favour of 59-year-old Yameen. The government has used “vaguely worded laws to silence dissent and to intimidate and imprison critics”, some of whom have been assaulted and even murdered, according to Human Rights Watch.

Before the election, there were warnings that Yameen could try to hold on to power at all costs. In February he declared a state of emergency, suspended the constitution and ordered troops to storm the Supreme Court and arrest the judges and other rivals to stave off impeachment.

Yameen told supporters on the eve of the election that he had overcome “huge obstacles” since controversially winning power in a contested run-off in 2013, but had handled the challenges “with resilience”.

The crackdown attracted international censure and fears the Maldives was slipping back into one-man rule just a decade after transitioning to democracy.

India, long influential in Maldives’ affairs — it sent troops and warships in 1988 to stop a coup attempt — expressed hopes the election would represent a return to democratic norms. In recent years Yameen has drifted closer to China, India’s chief regional rival, taking hundreds of millions of dollars from Beijing for major infrastructure projects.</s>Amid vote rigging, political turmoil in the Maldives, Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih defeated incumbent Abdulla Yameen on Monday, September 24, in the presidential polls, in which took place in small island nation after 2008. Progressive party of the Maldives headed by Abdullah Yameen conceded defeat by congratulating the new president, by saying, “I accept that result.”

59-year old Yameen had faced international criticism over his recent wide-range clamp down on dissent, detaining Supreme Court judges, and for declaring a 45-day emergency in the small island nation. Results were announced by the Elections Commission on Monday morning, which showed that Solih 58.3 %.

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Meanwhile, the Election commission had announced 3 hours of extension of voting, as the voter turnout was massive in the Maldives. A report by The Hindu said the final voter turnout in the Maldives was over 85%.

After the final voting, Solih won with 58% of the vote, or 134,616, while Yameen garnered 96,142 votes or 42 %, the official data said.

Celebrations broke out across the troubled island nation with Opposition supporters carrying the yellow flag of Solih’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

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Outgoing president Abdulla Yameen concedes defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.