Anura Kumara Dissanayake Sworn in as Sri Lanka's President

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Facts

  • Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the People's Liberation Front or Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the National People's Power (NPP) alliance, took his oath as Sri Lanka's new president on Monday.[1][2][3]
  • A day earlier, the country's election commission announced that Dissanayake had won Saturday's election — the first since mass protests broke out in 2022 amid economic turmoil.[1][4]
  • Dissanayake received 42.3% of the votes, while opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe secured 32.8% and 17%, respectively. The country recorded a voter turnout of about 75%.[5][6]
  • For the first time, the presidential race in Sri Lanka went into a second round of counting after no candidate secured more than 50% of the votes to be declared winner.[5][6][7]
  • The NPP — considered a radical group by some for its alleged involvement in armed insurrections in the 1970s and 80s — secured 3% of the votes in 2019. However, it reportedly gained ground during the popular uprising in 2022.[1][8]
  • Meanwhile, Dissanayake has vowed to preserve the $3B bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund. On Monday, he pledged to 'heed to best advice' amid growing economic concerns.[8][9]

Sources: [1]BBC News (a), [2]Al Jazeera, [3]BBC News (b), [4]Associated Press, [5]ADA Derana, [6]CNN, [7]The Hindu, [8]Guardian and [9]Financial Times.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Peoplesdispatch. The people of Sri Lanka, fed up with the corrupt political elite that has brought the country to an economic meltdown and with the debt and austerity measures imposed by the IMF, have decided to vote for change and economic sovereignty. Dissanayake still has a long way to go to deliver on his promises, but his victory offers hope for a better future.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Daily FT. First and foremost, Dissanayake must realize that his victory by no means suggests a national endorsement of his alliance's Marxist manifesto, given that more than half of the country didn't vote for him. It's vital that the new president acts in the best interest of the nation, leading a moderate campaign to deliver real change.

Predictions