Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:56am on 30 Sep 2023,Saturday International
Mohamed Muizzu, a pro-China candidate, is challenging incumbent President Ibrahim Solih in the Maldives' presidential runoff election on Saturday. The 45-year-old civil engineer has vowed to strengthen ties with China if elected. Muizzu's mentor is former president Abdulla Yameen, creator of the 'India Out' campaign. As Yameen's construction minister, Muizzu approved Chinese-funded infrastructure projects. He met Chinese Communist Party officials in 2022, pledging closer China-Maldives relations if his party wins. Muizzu's campaign has focused on criticizing India's political and economic influence. He resents India's 1988 military intervention in the Maldives under Operation Cactus to prevent a coup. The runoff has geopolitical implications with Muizzu representing a shift toward China and away from India.
