Maldives strongman President Yameen Abdul Gayoom conceded that he lost Sunday’s election to his challenger, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in a speech on Monday. The concession and the results were a surprise to Maldives’ opposition, who had feared Yameen would rig the vote in his favour. Since getting elected in 2013, Yameen had cracked down on political dissent, jailing rivals — including his half brother and the Maldives’ first democratically elected president — and Supreme Court justices.