This is the only instance in which the Maldives has experienced a seamless transition of administration since the country's switch to a multi-party system, outgoing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said. The President said this in his address to the nation on the occasion of Republic Day.
"This is the only time that the transition of government has been going on smoothly since the Maldives switched to a multi-party political system. Previously, if the vote didn't get the intended result [of the incumbent government], the transition happened through the court or on the streets," he said.
The President asserted that when he was elected five years ago, the public was in a state of unrest and fear, stating that this had changed due to the populace demanding that peace be restored to the country. The President also discussed the current government’s assurance of freedom of expression, noting businessmen and the general public living without any fear of backlash from differing political opinions and that journalists can now work free of fear. He underscored that all citizens can access essential services.
