The Democratic Party's presidential candidate, Ilyas Labeeb, has stated that the party has not yet reached a decision regarding the upcoming second round of the presidential election.
In the Maldives' presidential election held yesterday, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, the candidate representing the PPM-PNC coalition, emerged as the leading contender, with the incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih trailing behind. Muizzu received 46 percent of the votes, while President Solih received 39 percent. As no candidate secured the required 50 percent majority for a single-round victory, a second round of voting has been confirmed, and it is clear that the candidates would have to form alliances with other parties to secure their win in the second round. The Democrats, who placed third, are seen as pivotal in shaping the second-round outcome, depending on their decision about which candidate to support.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since the election results earlier on Sunday, Ilyas said no decisions have been made regarding the second round thus far. He said during the campaign, he was frequently about his course of action in the event of a third-place finish and expressed that he had sought the people's opinions on the matter. He asserted that he would act according to the people's wishes.
"We will determine our approach for the second round after consulting with our party members. However, we have not engaged in discussions with any specific political party at this time," he stated.
Ilyas said he did not contest the presidential election so soon after the formation of The Democrats with the expectation of winning the election, and admitted that the outcome was not as he had hoped. However, the election's result interprets as a sign that the people of the Maldives have embraced The Democrats and their manifesto, he said, assuring that the party's actions will consistently align with the interests of the people and its members.
"Party members are considering all possible scenarios, and I am satisfied with the progress we have made. This year's voter turnout has been lower due to a growing distrust in politicians," Ilyas said.
Ilyas emphasized that he had no intention of causing division within the main-ruling MDP, and said he did not participate in the presidential election to siphon votes away from the MDP. According to Ilyas, yesterday's election results provided a clear indication of the people's decision and the country's political landscape.
