The new president of Sri Lanka will be chosen by the people in a national election, which will take place on July 20, 2022. During the last term of President Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe faced many scandals, including allegations that he gave classified information to entities that made huge profits. He resigned after the scandal broke, saying he would step down and make way for a new, all-party government. In addition to that, Wickremesinghe also pledged to amend the Constitution in order to curtail the power of the presidency, something that would limit his own powers.
The new president declared a state of emergency on Monday, giving the security forces broad powers to search premises and detain people. The state of emergency also gives the armed forces greater authority to maintain law and order throughout the country. On Monday, armed forces and police swept through the main protest camp near the presidential palace in Colombo. Army staff blocked roads leading to the protest site after midnight.
With the country’s economy in such bad shape, many people have turned to the political opposition in a bid to restore order. However, the popular uprising has been extremely uninspiring, with protesters storming the prime minister’s residence and office. Protesters have seized control of government buildings, including the prime minister’s office and the president’s residence. However, the protests are expected to continue and intensify in the coming months.
The election is a sensitive and secret process. The election takes place amid tight security and simmering tensions after months of protest and political unrest. The Parliament had proposed three presidential candidates on Tuesday, including Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The vote will be secret, with the exception of two abstentions. If the election goes ahead as scheduled, it will be a difficult task for the new president to lead the country out of the political and economic crisis.
With the election, Wickremesinghe will take office as president of the country. The current government did not accept the fact that the country was bankrupt and that it needed to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. He won with 134 votes in parliament, more than the second-placed candidate, Dullas Alahapperuma, and three votes from a Marxist. Now, all eyes will be on the new leader and the ongoing negotiations on a bailout deal.
The government has appointed a political ally of Rajapaksa to become prime minister. The opposition has occupied the main protest site, but has not yet formally announced its resignation. However, the protesters have declared their willingness to leave the country. The protesters have the right to choose their new president, but the country’s current government may need a new constitution before the election takes place.
The new president will be a much-needed change. With the economic crisis continuing to spread across the island nation, it’s unlikely that the current government can handle the ongoing crises. As a result, the country faces acute shortages of essential commodities. Cash reserves are so low that the government is struggling to buy imports. Thousands of people travelled to India to escape the chaos.
