Sri Lanka elects Wickremesinghe as new President

Colombo: Sri Lanka on July 20 chose six-time Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as president of the island nation. He succeeds ousted leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled the country in a vote that risks reigniting political turmoil in the troubled South Asian island nation.

Six-time PM Wickremesinghe received 134 votes in favor in the 225-member legislative body. Former President Rajapaksa appointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister in May, hoping to bring stability to a country engulfed in its worst economic crisis in memory. Wickremesinghe became acting president after Rajapaksa fled the country last week and resigned by email.

Wickremesinghe, 73, is a seasoned politician with wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs. He has been leading crucial talks on an economic bailout package with the International Monetary Fund and was backed by members of the fragmented ruling coalition. But he is unpopular among voters who view him as a holdover from Rajapaksa’s government.

The Parliament began voting to elect a new President to lead the country out of the deep political and economic meltdown that has led 22 million people on the island towards a severe humanitarian crisis. Wickremesinghe remained the frontrunner with massive backing from SLPP MPs before the polls began.

Apart from two other contenders, the leader of rebels of Sri Lanka Peramuna Podujana (SLPP) Dullas Alahapperuma, and Anura Kumara Dissanayake from Leftist Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP) secured 82 votes and 3 votes respectively.

Image courtesy of (Photo courtesy: 24newsdaily.com)

Share this post