A former political prisoner won the Maldives’ first democratic presidential election, defeating longtime ruler President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and sending euphoric opposition supporters pouring into the streets Wednesday in celebration.With all the votes counted from Tuesday’s election, opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed won 54 per cent of the vote to Gayoom’s 46 per cent, according to Election Commission results.The outcome spells the end of the 30-year reign of Asia’s longest-serving ruler, who won six previous elections but never before faced an opponent.“I accept the results of the run-off election and I respectfully congratulate Mr Mohamed Nasheed and his party,” Gayoom told the nation in a live concession speech. “I am declaring my full support to him. In this change we are approaching, I assure you we will make this a peaceful process,” he said, priding himself on “the introduction of a new age of democracy.”“My prayer is that God gives prosperity to the Maldives and shows us peaceful and affluent days,” he said.Acting opposition party head Ibrahim Hussein Zaki said the country had “embraced democracy for the sake of the next generation and the people of the Maldives”. Gayoom “ruled for 30 years. It should be a very short and harmonious transfer of power,” he said.Nasheed is expected to be sworn in on November 11, 30 years to the day that Gayoom took office in 1978.“It was a very close race and the (opposition) alliance won,” said outgoing Environment Minister Abdullah Mausoom. The country’s first “multiparty elections have been held freely and fairly,” he said.
