Ranil Wickremesinghe has become the new president of Sri Lanka after a secret vote in Parliament this Wednesday, July 20, after former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to leave office and leave the country in the midst of a wave of demonstrations due to the economic crisis.
The Speaker of Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, announced that Wickremesinghe obtained 134 supports from the 225 parliamentarians who had to decide the future head of state of a nation mired in deep political and financial instability.
Dullas Alahapperuma, who also had the support of a part of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, won 82 votes while the third candidate in the running, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, of the coalition leftist NPP, only obtained three supports.
(In context: Sri Lanka imposes state of emergency after president escapes.)
Wickremesinghe asks the rest of the parties for collaboration
“Our country is in an economic crisis and we have to introduce a new program. I especially ask Dullas and Anura DissanayakeWickremesinghe said in Parliament after the results of the vote were announced.
The politician, who has emphasized his presence in the Chamber for 45 years and has been Prime Minister five times, He asked both candidates and other politicians to work together to get the country out of the crisis.
“Now, the time for our divisions is over. I’m ready to chat with all of you“said the new Sri Lankan president.
The politician will lead the country until 2024, thus completing the mandate of the deposed Gotabaya Rajapaksa, at the helm of a government that will have to resume talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about a possible financial rescue.
(In this regard: Prime Minister assumes as interim president of Sri Lanka after crisis).
In addition, he initially agreed to the position of Prime Minister of the Rajapaksa Government to replace the former leader’s brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was forced to leave the post on May 9 when his followers attacked protesters in Colombo.
Protesters decry victory
Wickremesinghe had in Wednesday’s vote the support of a faction of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), of the deposed president, although his candidacy has infuriated protesters who have been demanding his resignation since he became prime ministerand have threatened protests if elected.
“The entire country did not want Ranil to be elected, because he is a person who has been rejected. He did not come to Parliament thanks to the vote of the Sri Lankans, but because Gotabaya Rajapaksa wanted to give him a chance,” Rifas Mohamed Farook explained to ‘EFE’. one of the demonstrators of the encampment in Galle Park in Colombo, the epicenter of the protests.
“Now the majority (of the protesters) thinks that we will not be able to leave, we have to protest more until he leaves” power, Farook said.
(We recommend you read: Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, appointed interim president in the midst of the crisis).
The island country has suffered for months from shortages of medicine, food and fuel, caused in part by heavy debt, misguided government policies, and the impact of the Easter attacks and the pandemic on tourism.
This situation gave rise to protests throughout the island since the end of March, when thousands of people began to take to the streets to demand Rajapaksa’s resignation, and which on July 9 culminated in the raid on the official residences of Rajapaksa and of Wickremesinghe, forcing the president out of office and the country.
EFE
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