Shortly after the Maldives won independence from the British Empire, the fourth constitution was repealed and a Second Republic was established under the rule of President Ibrahim Nasir in 1968. The new constitution, ratified on 11 November 1968, declared the Maldives "an independent and free state". According to the fifth constitution, the president of the Maldives was to be elected through a secret vote of the 54 member People's Majlis.