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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Gayoom faces run-off in Maldives | Gayoom faces run-off in Maldives |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Voting in the Maldives first multi-party presidential election has gone to a second round after President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom failed to win outright. | Voting in the Maldives first multi-party presidential election has gone to a second round after President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom failed to win outright. |
| Mr Gayoom secured 41% of votes cast, while opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed came second with 25%, vote officials said. Four others were knocked out. | Mr Gayoom secured 41% of votes cast, while opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed came second with 25%, vote officials said. Four others were knocked out. |
| The two men will now contest a run-off vote to decide the winner. | |
| President Gayoom, Asia's longest serving leader, has held power in the Indian Ocean archipelago for 30 years. | President Gayoom, Asia's longest serving leader, has held power in the Indian Ocean archipelago for 30 years. |
| In August, he approved a law permitting multi-party elections, responding to years of political agitation for reform. | In August, he approved a law permitting multi-party elections, responding to years of political agitation for reform. |
| Mr Gayoom said after the vote that he still believed he had enough support to remain president. | Mr Gayoom said after the vote that he still believed he had enough support to remain president. |
| "I'm not concerned because you know, if anything is shown by this result, it is that I am still the most popular public figure in this country," he said. | "I'm not concerned because you know, if anything is shown by this result, it is that I am still the most popular public figure in this country," he said. |
| 'Dictator' | 'Dictator' |
| The votes were counted through the night and into Thursday, says the BBC's Roland Buerk in the capital, Male. | The votes were counted through the night and into Thursday, says the BBC's Roland Buerk in the capital, Male. |
| I feel I must be at the helm to see through the reform programme Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Risking a voteProfile: President Gayoom | I feel I must be at the helm to see through the reform programme Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Risking a voteProfile: President Gayoom |
| More than 84% of the country's 208,000 registered voters cast their ballots in the vote, electoral officials say. | More than 84% of the country's 208,000 registered voters cast their ballots in the vote, electoral officials say. |
| Our correspondent says Mr Nasheed, who leads the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), will be hoping that supporters of the other four candidates now swing behind him. | Our correspondent says Mr Nasheed, who leads the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), will be hoping that supporters of the other four candidates now swing behind him. |
| He has accused Mr Gayoom of being "a dictator" and says international election observers will be needed to ensure a fair vote. | He has accused Mr Gayoom of being "a dictator" and says international election observers will be needed to ensure a fair vote. |
| "We're very confident that... we will win this through and within 10 days we will have another leadership in this country and a democratic government," Mr Nasheed said. | "We're very confident that... we will win this through and within 10 days we will have another leadership in this country and a democratic government," Mr Nasheed said. |
| "But for democracy to be established in the Maldives, we need the assistance of the international community, especially they need to observe the vote, they need to protect the vote." | "But for democracy to be established in the Maldives, we need the assistance of the international community, especially they need to observe the vote, they need to protect the vote." |
| On Wednesday, voting was extended amid claims of irregularities. | On Wednesday, voting was extended amid claims of irregularities. |
| The Election Commission said it had received more than 1,000 complaints, but the majority of those were about registration problems and were resolved. | The Election Commission said it had received more than 1,000 complaints, but the majority of those were about registration problems and were resolved. |
| The head of the Commonwealth observer mission, former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, said he hoped the registration problems would be resolved in the second round. | The head of the Commonwealth observer mission, former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, said he hoped the registration problems would be resolved in the second round. |
| 'Safe hands' | 'Safe hands' |
| Correspondents say the campaign was hard fought and lively. Candidates used sea planes to canvas for votes among the hundreds of islands that make up the nation. | Correspondents say the campaign was hard fought and lively. Candidates used sea planes to canvas for votes among the hundreds of islands that make up the nation. |
| Main opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed says it is time for change | Main opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed says it is time for change |
| President Gayoom urged voters to elect him for a seventh term because he was a "safe pair of hands" who would keep the economy - especially its important tourism sector - functioning smoothly. | President Gayoom urged voters to elect him for a seventh term because he was a "safe pair of hands" who would keep the economy - especially its important tourism sector - functioning smoothly. |
| The president argued that after 30 years of his leadership, the Maldives had become South Asia's richest economy. | The president argued that after 30 years of his leadership, the Maldives had become South Asia's richest economy. |
| Mr Nasheed is one of the president's fiercest critics and a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience. | Mr Nasheed is one of the president's fiercest critics and a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience. |
| Ahead of the election, he accused Mr Gayoom of nepotism and "dirty tricks", including what he said was the false allegation that the MDP wanted to convert everyone to Christianity. | Ahead of the election, he accused Mr Gayoom of nepotism and "dirty tricks", including what he said was the false allegation that the MDP wanted to convert everyone to Christianity. |
| Wednesday's election followed reforms introduced after Mr Gayoom was accused of crushing pro-democracy protests in 2004. | Wednesday's election followed reforms introduced after Mr Gayoom was accused of crushing pro-democracy protests in 2004. |
| Correspondents say there are many problems for the eventual 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. | Correspondents say there are many problems for the eventual 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. |