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Reuters
Mr. Solih's supporters already celebrate what they claim to be a victory
Supporters of the Maldivian opposition leader, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, took to the streets to celebrate the victory over President Abdulla Yameen in the general elections.
The National Electoral Commission has not announced any official results yet.
But Mr Solih said he won Sunday's vote with a margin of 16%, with 92% of the votes counted.
He has already called on President Abdulla Yameen to "accept the will of the people".
"The message is loud and clear, the people of Maldives want change, peace and justice," Solih, better known as Ibu, in the capital, Malé, told reporters.
President Yameen, who was supposed to win a new term, has not yet commented publicly.
Yameen's government is accused of breaking the dissent and observers said the elections were rigged in his favor.
Who is Ibrahim Mohamed Solih?
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Mr. Solih is the presidential candidate of an alliance of the opposition
- One of the most senior politicians in the Maldives, he has been calling for democratic reform for years.
- Joint presidential candidate for an opposition alliance – including the CDM, the Jumhooree party and the Adhaalath party.
- Mr. Solih has been the parliamentary leader of the CDM since 2011.
The electoral commission is expected to announce official preliminary results and complete results by the end of the month.
But outside of Malé's main opposition center, hundreds of people gathered during the night to celebrate "Ibu, Ibu, Ibu".
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Reuters
They came by the hundreds to support the Leader of the Opposition
Former exiled president Mohamed Nasheed, who was ousted by Yameen in 2012, said on Twitter that Mr Solih had done "a very good service" to the people of Maldives.
The European Union and the United States had previously expressed concerns about the elections, both of which threatened to impose targeted sanctions if the democratic situation did not improve.
The polls opened Sunday at 08:00 (03:00 GMT) and were closed three hours later than expected, at 19:00, due to long queues.
What is the situation in the Maldives?
The Maldives are composed of 26 coral atolls and 1,192 islands. More than 400,000 people live there but its future is at stake due to climate change. Tourism is a vital part of its economy.
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MALDIVES PRESIDENCE / AFP
President Abdulla Yameen has been accused of attempting to rig elections
The archipelago has been hit by political upheavals in recent years. In February, the Supreme Court overturned the convictions of nine opposition figures, including Mr. Nasheed.
But after President Yameen declared the state of emergency and ordered the arrest of two judges, the court overturned his decision.
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Maldivians line up to vote
This decision was seen as a sign that Mr. Yameen would not tolerate any challenge to his rule and was being criticized by Washington, London and New Delhi.
Some in India, meanwhile, have called for intervention in a small neighboring country, once seen as part of its sphere of influence. Nasheed also called for Indian military intervention.
What role has China played in the Maldives?
As part of its policy of strategic influence and opening new trade routes in the Indian Ocean and beyond, Beijing has lent billions of dollars to large infrastructure projects in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Under Yameen, the Maldives also hosted Chinese funds for major projects and signed a free trade agreement. More and more Chinese tourists are visiting the Maldives than any other country.
Analysts say Beijing fears any change in government likely to affect its interests, while India worries about Yameen's intimate ties with his regional rival.
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The Sinamale Bridge, funded by Chinese grants and loans, connects the capital, Male, and the airport island, Hulhule.
"India feels very strongly that all these ports are surrounded by China," said Gareth Price, a South Asian expert from the Chatham House think tank, referring to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Delhi sees China providing loans to the Maldives as part of a broader strategic ambition to secure a new location in the Indian Ocean, he added.
Was it a fair election?
International observers, notably from the EU and the UN, did not send teams to monitor the elections, fearing that their presence would seem to tolerate Mr. Yameen's re-election. Others said that they could not get a visa on time.
On Saturday, police searched the office of the Maldivian Democratic Party in Male without a warrant, the party said. A spokesman for the police confirmed the raid on the BBC, without providing further details.
But the spokesman of the electoral commission said that allegations of electoral fraud "have no basis in reality".
- China claims victory in India
Yameen ignored accusations of authoritarianism, saying during the campaign: "No one will come to greet me and shake my hand if there is tyranny."
His half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, led the country autocratically for three decades until the first democratic vote of the archipelago in 2008, won by Mr. Nasheed. Mr. Gayoom was jailed in June.
