Wickremesinghe, in fact, led crucial talks on an economic rescue package with the International Monetary Fund and was supported by members of the fragmented governing coalition, however, he is unpopular among voters who see him as a remnant of the Rajapaksa government.
(LaPresse) Sri Lanka’s parliament has chosen former six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s new president. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had appointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister in May, hoping to bring stability to a country engulfed by the worst economic crisis in memory.
Wickremesinghe, 73, became interim president after Rajapaksa fled the country last week by resigning. He is a politician with extensive experience in diplomatic and international affairs. Wickremesinghe, in fact, led crucial talks on an economic rescue package with the International Monetary Fund and was supported by members of the fragmented governing coalition, however, he is unpopular among voters who see him as a remnant of the Rajapaksa government.
Wickremesinghe won 134 votes, surpassing former minister Dullas Alahapperuma, who stopped at 82. Marxist Party candidate Anura Dissanayake, on the other hand, took three.
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