By EU-Asia Centre
The Maldives have elected Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of
Maldives (PPM) as president. He won the run-off vote on 16 November
with 51.3% while ex-president Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldivan
Democratic Party (MDP) received 48.6% of votes.
After the Supreme Court had declared the first elections void and
cancelled the following two, voters went to the polls on 9 November,
where Nasheed narrowly missed securing an outright majority by
receiving 47% of votes.
Voter turnout was high with 91.4%. The EU had declared its readiness
‘to consider appropriate measures should the poll on 16 November not
bring the electoral process to a successful conclusion.’
The newly-elected president Yameen is the half-brother of Maumoon
Abdul Gayoom who ruled the Maldives for 30 years. In his inauguration
speech on 17 November, Yameen spoke about the dire economic situation
and pledged to reduce state budget expenditure. Given that the
election finally went smoothly, the prospects for the building of a
stable government appear good.
However, the situation is much less promising in Nepal, where a new
Constituent Assembly will be elected on 19 November. Five years ago,
Nepal’s Maoists ended a decade-long insurgency and were elected as
strongest party of the new democracy. The inability of the Maoists to
establish a stable government and unfulfilled promises have left the
economy sliding, the political system gridlocked, and voters
disappointed.
The Maoists currently only hold 38.1% of parliamentary seats. The
Nepali Congress is the second strongest force with 19.1% of seats,
followed by the Unified Marxist-Leninists with 18%. More than 100
parties representing different religions, ethnicities and castes are
competing in this week’s elections and electing a stable
constitution-writing assembly will be very difficult.
Tensions are running high. Last week, an alliance of 33 opposition
parties tried to enforce a nation-wide strike in order to stop the
elections.
Voter turnout was 63.3% in 2008 and is likely to be even lower this
time as many people are turned off by the bickering between the
parties. The current assembly has not managed to agree a new
constitution since the abolishment of monarchy in 2008. Reaching
polling stations is complicated for the large number of migrant
workers due to poor infrastructure and the requirement to vote in
one’s original constituency.
What is seen as a crucial step towards developing a stable democracy
in Nepal is handicapped by voter apathy, disillusionment, and deep
divides among parties. As candidates remain largely the same as in the
2008 elections, the situation is unlikely to change.
This is a period full of political changes for South Asia – Pakistan
and Bhutan both elected new national assemblies earlier this year and
general elections must be held in Bangladesh by 24 January 2014. India
also goes to the polls next May. – Eurasia Review
