After a series of political crises, Ranil Wickremesinghe has been elected as the new President of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Ranil Wickremesinghe defeated Dullas Alahapperuma, a rebel leader of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), who is backed by the Opposition.
Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe will replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country and resigned after public outrage over the country’s worst economic crisis. Wickremesinghe secured 134 votes, Dullas Alahapperuma got 82 votes, and Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) got three votes.
In the 225-member House, a minimum of 113 seats were needed in favour of the candidate. Of the total, 223 members cast their votes, while two were absent. There were four invalid votes too.
Former Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and his son Namal Rajapaksa, who had been hiding for the last few days, came to the parliament and cast their vote.
Wickremesinghe, who has been six times Prime Minister earlier, has indicated that the economy, not reforming the executive presidency, is his main concern.
