MALE -- The Maldives' opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu triumphed in Saturday's presidential election, winning over voters with two broad campaign themes: that incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had failed to deliver on his clean government pledges, and that his pro-India leanings had undermined the country's sovereignty.
Muizzu's victory, with 54% of the vote, is widely seen as a loss for New Delhi and a win for Beijing, which now appears to have an opportunity to regain its foothold in the strategically situated Indian Ocean archipelago.
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