President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has extended his felicitations to the people in commemoration of Maldives’ 52nd Republic Day, celebrated on Monday.

The president took to Twitter on Monday morning, extending the day’s felicitations to all of his constituents.

His deputy, Vice President Faisal Naseem also extended the day’s greetings via Twitter shortly after, extending greetings of the day to all Maldivians.

Monday is observed as Republic Day in the Maldives which celebrates the change of monarchy to a republic in the country in 1968, during the rule of Ibrahim Nasir.

The first time Maldives became a republic was in January 1953 during the rule of Mohamed Amin Didi. While it lasted a little over seven months, a monarchy followed during March 1954, ruled by Sultan Muhammad Fareed Al Awwal.