Sawt Falasteen - Maldives leader praises 'most free' vote in tough re-election bid

Solih's bid for another term has turned the poll into a referendum on his pursuit of renewed ties with India, the archipelago nation's traditional benefactor.

The polls officially closed after eight hours, but those who had joined voting queues were being allowed to cast their ballots, the independent Elections Commission said.

Previous votes have been marred by violent clashes as well as allegations of widespread voting fraud, but there were no immediate reports of any violence or rigging.

Police said they detained two people in connection with election-related incidents, but did not give further details.

Solih, 61, and his main rival Mohamed Muizzu, the mayor of Male, were among those voting early in the capital island Male where schools were turned into polling stations.

"There have been no significant reports of unrest anywhere," Solih told reporters after casting his ballot.

"The election campaign activities had also proceeded very smoothly. There is unprecedented peace in the Maldives."

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, whose son is an opposition candidate, voted early and wished the nation well.

"May Maldives continue to reap the benefits of true democracy and peace in the years ahead," Gayoom said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

- Party split -

Solih, who was dressed in a yellow T-shirt and cap, the colours of his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), addressed a large gathering in Male on Friday.

His main rival, 45-year-old Muizzu, a proxy of jailed opposition leader and former president Abdulla Yameen, attended a mass rally marking the end of a short campaign.

Convicted prisoners in the Maldives can vote but Yameen did not register to vote at his Maafushi high security prison, officials said. Five ballot boxes are at prisons.

Yameen is serving an 11-year sentence following his corruption conviction in December.

Eight candidates are contesting for the top job in the nation of 1,192 coral islets, scattered in a long line stretching around 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the Indian Ocean.

"We have registered nearly 60 percent turnout in six hours of polling," an election official told reporters in Male.

The final turnout was not immediately known. But officials expect it to be about 80 to 90 percent of the 282,000-strong electorate.

Solih polled 58.3 percent at the previous election in 2018, but this time his party has split, with another candidate in the running.

After his shock victory five years ago, Solih moved swiftly to repair relations with New Delhi strained under Yameen, who banked on Beijing for loans and diplomatic support.

During his autocratic five-year tenure, Yameen borrowed heavily from China for construction projects, making the nation -- better known for upscale beach tourism and celebrity travellers -- a hotbed of geopolitical rivalry.

Election officials said they expected results to be announced late Sunday. If no candidate wins a majority of votes, a run-off is scheduled for September 30.

Balloting also took place in overseas locations with large Maldivian populations, such as Trivandrum in the southern Indian state of Kerala, as well as in the capitals of Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

U.AlSharif--SF-PST