Ibrahim Mohamed Solih facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
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އިބްރާހީމް މުޙައްމަދް ޞޯލިޙް
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Official Portrait, 2018
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| 7th President of the Maldives | |
| In office 17 November 2018 – 17 November 2023 |
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| Vice President | Faisal Naseem |
| Preceded by | Abdulla Yameen |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Muizzu |
| Member of the People's Majlis | |
| In office 28 May 2009 – 16 November 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Succeeded by | Jeehan Mahmood |
| Constituency | Hinnavaru |
| In office 27 February 1995 – 27 May 2009 |
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| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Constituency | Lhaviyani Atoll |
| President of the Maldivian Democratic Party | |
| In office 24 November 2023 – 20 February 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Mohamed Nasheed |
| Succeeded by | Abdulla Shahid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1962 Hinnavaru, Maldives |
| Political party | Maldivian Democratic Party (after 2003) |
| Spouse |
Fazna Ahmed
(m. 1992) |
| Children | 2 |
| Signature |  |
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Dhivehi: އިބްރާހީމް މުޙައްމަދް ޞޯލިޙް), often called Ibu, was the 7th President of the Maldives. He served from 2018 to 2023. Before becoming president, Solih was a member of parliament for 15 years. He represented the Hinnavaru and Lhaviyani Atoll areas. He played a big part in bringing democratic changes to the Maldives. He also led the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to win the 2018 presidential election. His time as president focused on fair government, protecting the environment, and building strong relationships with other countries.
Early Life and Family
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was born on March 1, 1962, in Hinnavaru, Maldives. When he was young, he moved to Malé for his schooling. He has lived there ever since. He is one of 13 children in his family. Solih finished his high school education at Majeediyya School in Malé. He was a popular student and took part in many school activities, especially sports.
He is married to Fazna Ahmed. They have a daughter named Sarah and a son named Yaman. Solih worked closely with former president Mohamed Nasheed. Nasheed is also the first cousin of Solih's wife, Fazna. Solih and Nasheed were very important in helping the Maldives become a country with many political parties. Solih was a senior leader in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). He led the party's first group in parliament from 2009 until he became president in 2018.
Political Journey
Solih was the leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) group in parliament starting in 2011. He also led the combined group of opposition parties from March 2017.
In 2018, Solih was chosen as the presidential candidate for a group of opposition parties. This happened because former president Mohamed Nasheed could not run for president.
Solih won the election by a large amount, getting 58.4% of the votes. He received almost 38,500 more votes than his opponent. Many people thought the election might not be fair. However, the president at the time, Abdulla Yameen, accepted that Solih had won. This happened a few hours after Solih claimed victory.
A main topic during the election was whether the Maldives should stay close to China. This was the direction under Yameen. Or, if it should become closer to India and Western countries like the United States. The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and its allies preferred this second option.
Becoming President
Solih became president on November 17, 2018. He was the 7th president of the Maldives. He was also the country's third president to be chosen by the people. The first two were Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen. Solih was the first Maldivian president born outside the capital city of Malé. He was also the second oldest person to become president, at 54 years old.
On November 19, 2019, Solih announced that the Maldives would rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations. This was a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire. The Maldives had been a member from 1982 to 2016. The Maldives officially rejoined the Commonwealth on February 1, 2020.
His government also worked to have stronger ties with India. This was different from the previous president, Abdulla Yameen, who had focused on relations with China. Solih confirmed that the country would follow an "India-First Policy" in its foreign affairs.
In the April 2019 parliamentary election, Solih's party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), won a huge victory. They won 65 out of 87 seats in the parliament. This was the first time a single party had won so many seats in Maldivian history.
In 2021, his government welcomed 1.3 million tourists. This was more than their goal for that year.
In 2022, he started the Greater Malé Connectivity Project. This project connects Malé, Villingili, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi.
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In 2023, he finished many building projects on different islands of the Maldives. These included L. Hithadhoo and D. Hulhudheli. His government also solved a 58-year-old border disagreement between the Maldives and Mauritius. This was decided by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The ruling favored the Maldives, giving them a larger share of the disputed area.
During the 2023 Maldivian presidential election, Solih tried to be re-elected. He had a new running mate, Mohamed Aslam. However, he lost to Mohamed Muizzu, who was supported by the opposition parties.
After Presidency
In the 2024 Maldivian parliamentary election, Solih campaigned for his party to win a majority in parliament. However, his party ended up with fewer seats. The People's National Congress (PNC) won the majority.
See also
In Spanish: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih para niños
- List of international presidential trips made by Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
