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| Maldives holds election run-off | Maldives holds election run-off |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The people of the Maldives are voting in the run-off of the country's first democratic presidential election. | |
| Asia's longest-serving leader, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, is facing former political prisoner and pro-democracy leader Mohamed Nasheed. | Asia's longest-serving leader, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, is facing former political prisoner and pro-democracy leader Mohamed Nasheed. |
| President Gayoom won the first round earlier this month, but failed to secure the 50% needed for outright victory over Mr Nasheed. | President Gayoom won the first round earlier this month, but failed to secure the 50% needed for outright victory over Mr Nasheed. |
| Both candidates say they are confident of victory. | Both candidates say they are confident of victory. |
| Voting is taking place in the Maldives' cramped island capital Male, a jumble of concrete apartment blocks, and on outlying atolls scattered across the deep blue sea. | |
| The campaigning was noisy with rallies late into Sunday night and parades of trucks and taxis in the narrow streets of Male. | |
| Opposition candidates who were knocked out are now supporting Mr Nasheed, known as Anni. | Opposition candidates who were knocked out are now supporting Mr Nasheed, known as Anni. |
| President Gayoom has ruled the Maldives since 1978 and claims credit for making the country South Asia's most prosperous, largely thanks to tourists who come for the white sandy beaches and turquoise lagoons. | President Gayoom has ruled the Maldives since 1978 and claims credit for making the country South Asia's most prosperous, largely thanks to tourists who come for the white sandy beaches and turquoise lagoons. |
| He began a reform programme following international criticism of his suppression of street protests in 2004. | He began a reform programme following international criticism of his suppression of street protests in 2004. |
| Reasons to win | Reasons to win |
| This is the first time President Gayoom has allowed competition in an election. | This is the first time President Gayoom has allowed competition in an election. |
| Mohamed Nasheed has said he is a dictator and a has-been sultan, and that the Maldives needs change. | Mohamed Nasheed has said he is a dictator and a has-been sultan, and that the Maldives needs change. |
| President Gayoom hopes a win will vindicate his years in power | President Gayoom hopes a win will vindicate his years in power |
| When asked how it felt, to be standing, potentially, on the brink of power after years spent in the pro-democracy struggle, Mr Nasheed said: "I've been tortured twice, I've spent numerous years behind bars and numerous days in solitary confinement. It's heart lifting to see that if you work on something consistently without losing focus that you will be able to achieve your goals." | When asked how it felt, to be standing, potentially, on the brink of power after years spent in the pro-democracy struggle, Mr Nasheed said: "I've been tortured twice, I've spent numerous years behind bars and numerous days in solitary confinement. It's heart lifting to see that if you work on something consistently without losing focus that you will be able to achieve your goals." |
| But President Gayoom is confident of victory too. | But President Gayoom is confident of victory too. |
| "I need five more years for one thing to complete my reform agenda. I want it to be my legacy to the country that the country enjoys a full democratic system," he said while campaigning in the far north of the archipelago. | "I need five more years for one thing to complete my reform agenda. I want it to be my legacy to the country that the country enjoys a full democratic system," he said while campaigning in the far north of the archipelago. |
| Both men going into this election have deep personal reasons for wanting to win. | Both men going into this election have deep personal reasons for wanting to win. |
| Winning the presidency of the Maldives would be the culmination of Mohamed Nasheed's long campaign for democracy. For President Gayoom victory would be a vindication of his decades in power. | Winning the presidency of the Maldives would be the culmination of Mohamed Nasheed's long campaign for democracy. For President Gayoom victory would be a vindication of his decades in power. |