Marxist-leaning politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emerged as the leader in Sri Lanka’s first-ever presidential election that has gone into a second round of counting. Dissanayake secured 39.5 percent of the votes, while opposition leader Sajith Premadasa attained 34 percent. The incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been disqualified, along with the other candidates, and a second round of counting is underway to determine the winner.
The election comes in the wake of a severe financial crisis that hit Sri Lanka two years ago, with Dissanayake presenting himself as an alternative to the traditional political elite. Wickremesinghe, who played a role in stabilizing the economy following the crisis, trailed behind with only 17 percent of the vote. His failure to address the cost-of-living crisis and his association with the Rajapaksa family, blamed for the economic downturn, likely contributed to his lower support.
Dissanayake, leading the left-leaning National People’s Power coalition, has promised welfare measures to ease the burden on the people and has criticized the austerity measures imposed as part of a deal with the IMF. His popularity surged following protests in 2022 that led to the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Political scientist Pradeep Peiris noted that the election result indicates that the uprising in 2022 is not over.
Premadasa, the son of a former president, also pledged to renegotiate the terms of the IMF deal. Approximately 75 percent of eligible voters participated in the election. The final results of the presidential race are expected to be announced soon as the counting process continues.
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