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| Maldives holds historic election | |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| The people of the Maldives are voting in the islands' first multi-party presidential elections, with President Gayoom seeking a seventh term in power. | The people of the Maldives are voting in the islands' first multi-party presidential elections, with President Gayoom seeking a seventh term in power. |
| Polling is taking place amid allegations of irregularities and vote officials say voting may be extended. | Polling is taking place amid allegations of irregularities and vote officials say voting may be extended. |
| The president faces five challengers, some of whom have criticised his "dictatorial and bullying" style. | The president faces five challengers, some of whom have criticised his "dictatorial and bullying" style. |
| President Gayoom is Asia's longest serving leader, having been in power for more than 30 years. | President Gayoom is Asia's longest serving leader, having been in power for more than 30 years. |
| His main challenger to the presidency, Mohamed Nasheed, said that although there were cases of voting lists not matching official records, the irregularities were minor and he feared violence if the vote was not completed. | |
| "Only a small number of people are affected; it will not affect the results," Mr Nasheed told a cheering crowd of supporters who had gathered outside the heavily guarded central counting station. | "Only a small number of people are affected; it will not affect the results," Mr Nasheed told a cheering crowd of supporters who had gathered outside the heavily guarded central counting station. |
| However the chairwoman of his Maldivian Democratic Party, (MDP) Mariya Didi, said that irregularities had taken place and she had been unable to vote. | However the chairwoman of his Maldivian Democratic Party, (MDP) Mariya Didi, said that irregularities had taken place and she had been unable to vote. |
| "We had high hopes for today," she said. "We hoped that once in our lifetime we could vote freely, but today we are being denied our right." | "We had high hopes for today," she said. "We hoped that once in our lifetime we could vote freely, but today we are being denied our right." |
| The Maldivian Election Commission has said that anyone with identity cards who is not registered to vote can register at polling stations, which will stay open until all those who want to vote have done so. | |
| 'Safe pair of hands' | 'Safe pair of hands' |
| The polls are the culmination of reforms introduced by President Gayoom who queued for over an hour before casting his vote on Wednesday. | The polls are the culmination of reforms introduced by President Gayoom who queued for over an hour before casting his vote on Wednesday. |
| Polling has been brisk throughout Wednesday | Polling has been brisk throughout Wednesday |
| Polling began at 0400GMT and 208,000 people are eligible to vote. Results are not due before Thursday evening. | Polling began at 0400GMT and 208,000 people are eligible to vote. Results are not due before Thursday evening. |
| Correspondents say that the campaign has been hard fought and lively, with noisy late-night rallies in the capital, Male. | Correspondents say that the campaign has been hard fought and lively, with noisy late-night rallies in the capital, Male. |
| There are many problems for the winner to confront, including a growing heroin problem among the young and the threat caused by rising sea levels which environmentalists say could wash the country away. | There are many problems for the winner to confront, including a growing heroin problem among the young and the threat caused by rising sea levels which environmentalists say could wash the country away. |
| Candidates have used sea planes to canvas for votes among the hundreds of islands that make up the archipelago. | Candidates have used sea planes to canvas for votes among the hundreds of islands that make up the archipelago. |
| President Gayoom has urged voters to back him because he is a "safe pair of hands" who will keep the country's economy - especially its important tourism sector - functioning smoothly. | President Gayoom has urged voters to back him because he is a "safe pair of hands" who will keep the country's economy - especially its important tourism sector - functioning smoothly. |
| The president argues that after 30 years of his leadership, the Maldives has become South Asia's richest economy, at the forefront of the international battle against climate change and on the verge of becoming a fully fledged democracy. | The president argues that after 30 years of his leadership, the Maldives has become South Asia's richest economy, at the forefront of the international battle against climate change and on the verge of becoming a fully fledged democracy. |
| "If you want a leader who will protect these freedoms, our religion and our culture, then vote for me," he told supporters, promising "five more dynamic years". | "If you want a leader who will protect these freedoms, our religion and our culture, then vote for me," he told supporters, promising "five more dynamic years". |
| President Gayoom's has been travelling by plane across the atolls where his bedrock support is found to encourage people to vote. | President Gayoom's has been travelling by plane across the atolls where his bedrock support is found to encourage people to vote. |
| Security around him has been tight - in January an islander tried to stab him, but he was foiled by a boy scout who fought off the attacker. | Security around him has been tight - in January an islander tried to stab him, but he was foiled by a boy scout who fought off the attacker. |
| 'More trustworthy' | 'More trustworthy' |
| The main challenger to President Gayoom is Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) - one of his fiercest critics and a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience. | The main challenger to President Gayoom is Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) - one of his fiercest critics and a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience. |
| The opposition says it is time for change | The opposition says it is time for change |
| "From this stage, it is about the personality, who is more credible, more trustworthy," Mr Nasheed said. | "From this stage, it is about the personality, who is more credible, more trustworthy," Mr Nasheed said. |
| He said that his administration would comprise people from all parties and - unlike the president - he would ban his relatives from holding key government jobs. | He said that his administration would comprise people from all parties and - unlike the president - he would ban his relatives from holding key government jobs. |
| "We counted close to 44 of his family members in senior posts," he said. | "We counted close to 44 of his family members in senior posts," he said. |
| Mr Nasheed has also accused President Gayoom of "dirty tricks", including what he says is the false allegation that the MDP wants to convert everyone to Christianity. | Mr Nasheed has also accused President Gayoom of "dirty tricks", including what he says is the false allegation that the MDP wants to convert everyone to Christianity. |
| The election follows reforms introduced after Mr Gayoom was accused of crushing pro-democracy protests in 2004. | The election follows reforms introduced after Mr Gayoom was accused of crushing pro-democracy protests in 2004. |
| If no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes, a second round of polling will be held. | If no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes, a second round of polling will be held. |