MALE: Maldives police clashed with hundreds of protesters yesterday after outgoing President Mohamed Waheed said he would remain in power after his term ended, defying the opposition-led parliament and throwing the country deeper into crisis.
Waheed was to have stepped down on Sunday, but when no candidate won the necessary 50 percent of votes in a long-delayed presidential election the previous day, the Indian Ocean archipelago was essentially left in constitutional limbo.
“Since the constitution does not state what must happen, the Supreme Court has decided the government will continue instead of going into a constitutional void,” Waheed declared overnight.
Mohamed Nasheed led after the first round with 47 percent of votes.
REUTERS
