First new president in the Maldives for 30 years

There seemed little animosity between the rival candidates

Listen Listen to Mohamed Nasheed (3 mins 13 secs)

One of the world's longest-serving rulers has just lost his job.

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has been President of the Maldives, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, for 30 years.

He was re-elected six times. His opponents have always claimed the polls were rigged.

This time, though, he has been defeated by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), led by Mohamed Nasheed.

The World Today spoke to him almost as soon as the results came through, and in his first interview as the Maldives President-elect, Mohamed Nasheed told George Arney why he thinks he has managed to win power.

First broadcast 29 October 2008