Amidst the crisis and national emergency, Sri Lanka has elected Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president. After Rajapaksa fled the country last week and submitted his resignation through email, Wickremesinghe was named acting president. He said he has served in Parliament for 45 years and is grateful for the opportunity to serve as president.
In the legislative vote, he easily overcame his opponent Dullus Alahapperuma, with 134 votes to 82. “I need not tell you the status our country is in. Now that the election is over we have to end this division. We had 48 hours to stay divided but from now on I am ready to have a dialog with you,” he said. Protesters outside the president’s residence were chanting “Go home, Ranil” after his election.
Ranil Wickremesinghe will serve the term till 2024
The election of Wickremesinghe might lead to widespread instability and riots. In anticipation of any demonstrations, barricades were erected outside the parliament on Wednesday before the results were announced. Protestors have been asking for Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign. A significant proportion of the members of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramnua (SLPP) party claimed to have supported Mr Wickremesinghe because of his reputation in the business world.
Rajapaksa’s term officially ends in 2024. It will be completed by Wickremesinghe. Angry protesters over the nation’s economic collapse raided his official residence and seized important state buildings last week. Rajapaksa disappeared from the country and submitted his resignation by email. Typically, the people of Sri Lanka elect the president; however, if the presidency becomes empty before a term’s official end, only then is Parliament responsible.
22 million people in Sri Lanka are suffering from shortages of necessities. It includes food, fuel, and medicine as a result of the economic crisis. This is happening while the country’s government is trying to make a bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund. The important IMF negotiations have been led by Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also serving as the finance minister. He has spoken out against the difficulty of the crisis resolution in his weekly addresses to the Parliament.