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The presidential elections will start in the Maldives today, as the country tries a credible democratic vote, despite a history of
Photo: Reuters
The presidential elections will begin in the Maldives today, as the country tries a credible democratic vote, despite a history of repression of the political opposition.
Decisions to hold what the small republic of the Indian Ocean calls "transparent and open" elections, after months of pressure from the European Union and its allies in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for a return democratic processes in the Maldives. The June presidential elections for the opposition consisted of only one candidate, Mohamed Nasheed, who was sentenced in 2015 for internationally criticized terrorism charges, eventually leading to a court ruling barring him from running for office. . The outgoing president, Abdulla Yameen, is expected to seek a second term, while the remaining opposition are trying to negotiate a common candidate.
Observers from eight countries and the EU should participate in election monitoring. However, the prospects for a truly transparent and competitive electoral process are slim. This is due to the state of emergency decrees that President Yameen has used in the past to cancel victories or acquittals of opposition figures. Expect to scrutinize election results at the regional and international levels, but few prospects for major policy change.
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