MALE, Maldives (AP) — Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has taken over as president of the Maldives following a fierce political discord caused by the autocratic rule of outgoing leader Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Thousands of people cheered Solih, from the Maldivian Democratic Party, at a swearing-in ceremony Saturday in a soccer stadium chosen to accommodate a large number of his supporters.
The Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago known for its luxury resorts, became a multiparty democracy in 2008.
Since getting elected in 2013, Yameen had cracked down on political dissent, jailing rivals and Supreme Court justices. But he suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Solih in September's presidential election.
Neighboring India has been concerned by a growing Chinese influence under Yameen, who signed a series of infrastructure projects with Beijing.
