Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as Sri Lanka President
Sri Lanka’s six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe defeated Dullas Alahapperuma and Anur Kumar Dissanayake in Wednesday’s presidential election to succeed Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The 73-year-old Sri Lankan leader won 134 votes in the 225-member house, while his nearest rival Alahapperuma got 82. A candidate needed at least 113 votes to win the election. Wickemesinghe will be tasked with serving the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in November 2024, as Sri Lankans trust the new leadership to resolve a severe economic crisis.
With Wickemesinghe’s candidacy opposed by many ordinary Sri Lankans, the outcome of the election could lead to further protests by people furious with the ruling elite. For the first time in 44 years, the Sri Lankan parliament elected the president directly.
