After 30 years of one-party rule, citizens of the Republic of the Maldives held multi-party elections and created a new constitution in 2008. The new president, Mohamed Nasheed, had a difficult time with certain challenges, includng national debt and continuing impacts of a 2004 tsumani. In an effort to solve these problems, he took up help from the International Monetary Fund. As national prices began to rise, Maldivians began to protest against a falling standard of living. The initial protest lasted from May 1st to May 6th in 2011. This was done in an effort to hold the government accountable and push for the resignation of President Nasheed. The police were ordered to retaliate against protesters with tear gas and batons, and they arrested over 300 people. In the beginning of 2012, President Nasheed ordered the arrest of Chief Justice of the Maldives Criminal Court, which launched another set of protests lasting 22 days. The protesters demanded that the Chief Justice was released and, again, that Nasheed resign. On Febrary 7th 2012, Maldivian police defied the government and joined the protesters. Recognizing his defeat, Nasheed resigned later that same day.