How a crisis affects a Presidency, I think, comes to define that presidency. The great American President Abraham Lincoln is remembered for what he enacted during the American Civil war. The civil war and its successes are mostly viewed through the prism of Lincoln's actions.

President Rajapakshe meanwhile, is remembered for ending a 30 year old war that divided a nation. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew is remembered more for the economic progress he ushered in; more so than for his efforts at gaining Singapore's independence.

With my mind on these leaders, and what they are defined by, it led me to ponder on how a crisis can come to define a presidency.

This holds true even when we take a look at our Presidents and their Presidencies for example.

Our first President Ameen Didi had a very short presidency, just seven months or so, which ended with a revolt from within the state’s inner core and President Ameen is remembered as having lost his life in the attempt to regain his presidency.

The second and third Presidents shared between them a half century of rule, during which they both experienced many crises.

Our second President, Ibrahim Nasir, ruled for two decades, his presidency is defined by his actions of thwarting a British backed rebellion and finally obtaining full independence.

Our third President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, ruled for 30 years, making him the longest to serve as president. His presidency is defined by the way he handled the 1988 terrorist attack on the capital Male’ by a breakaway faction of the Tamil separatist movement funded, and led, by a handful of Maldivians. President Maumoon, having initially asked for Indian assistance, displayed brilliant, praise worthy, statecraft on the closure of Indian security forces from the Maldives; forces which had remained for almost a year after the initial attack had ended.

Since President Maumoon had the longest tenure, of 6 consecutive presidential terms, he would experience more crises than any other presidents. The Tsunami was another such crisis.

Ruling for three decades, and over two generations being born during his tenure, the popularity of his presidency was shaken to the core with calls for democratic reforms amplified by many an adversary pointing to Maumoon’s stiff, authoritarian, rule.

Mohamed Nasheed won the first democratically held election in the country with the slightest of margins. His presidency can be defined by his resignation after three weeks of unrest in the capital city with the security forces joining the protesting masses.

With the resignation of President Nasheed his Vice President became the fifth president of the Maldives. President Waheed served the remaining period of the term; a period defined as chaotic where the once ruling party became the opposition almost overnight and the opposition coalition was now ruling with the country struggling against the ramifications of a resignation and an aftermath of uncertainty.

The sixth President Yamin Abdul Gayoom won the presidency also with a slight margin defeating former President Nasheed in the polls. President Yamin’s presidency would come to be defined by the corruption crisis surrounding the state’s governance of the tourism sector, a sector which the country heavily relied upon. Not being able to come out of the crisis by the time of his second election run cost Yamin dearly.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih became the country’s seventh president with popular support and a clear majority election win that had been previously unseen in the Maldives. Covid 19 will be the first litmus test of his presidency. So far President Solih has done well, yet the presidency will be defined by how he manages the post covid recovery, bringing the country back to motion.