Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a left-leaning politician, has won Sri Lanka's presidential election after a second round of counting. In the first round, no candidate got more than 50% of the votes. Dissanayake received 42.31%, while his main rival, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, got 32.76%. In the second round, which counted voters' second and third choices, Dissanayake emerged as the winner with a total of 5,740,179 votes, beating Premadasa who got 4,530,902 votes.
This election, held on Saturday, was the first since mass protests in 2022 forced the former president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to step down during the country’s worst economic crisis. Dissanayake, 55, promised good governance and strong anti-corruption measures, which gained support from many voters.
Dissanayake plans to improve the economy by focusing on manufacturing, agriculture, and information technology (IT). He also committed to continuing the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help recover from the economic crisis, while trying to protect the poorest people from the impact of harsh economic measures.
This election was historic as it was the first time since 1982 that the winner was not decided in the first round of counting. It was also one of the closest elections in Sri Lanka's history. Seventeen million people were eligible to vote, and the election commission said it was the most peaceful election ever. However, a curfew was imposed on Saturday night for safety, which was lifted the next day.
Dissanayake's victory was supported by his pledge for change, especially after the economic crisis and protests in 2022. His political party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has a violent past but has gained popularity in recent years. Despite losing ground during the counting, Dissanayake won in the second round of counting.
The current president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who came third with 17% of the vote, was eliminated from the second round. He congratulated Dissanayake and expressed hope for Sri Lanka’s future.
Sri Lanka’s new president faces major challenges, including fixing the economy and helping millions of people struggling with poverty. The country’s economic collapse in 2022 led to the "Aragalaya" (struggle) protests that forced Rajapaksa to resign. At the time, Sri Lanka had no foreign currency to import essential goods like fuel, and public debt had reached $83 billion. Inflation also surged to 70%, making basic necessities like food and medicine unaffordable.
The economic crisis was caused by poor government policies, corruption, and weak exports. Tourism, a key part of Sri Lanka's economy, was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Corruption and mismanagement by Rajapaksa's family, who ruled for over a decade, were blamed for worsening the crisis.
Wickremesinghe secured a $2.9 billion deal with the IMF to help the economy, but this requires strict reforms. Sri Lanka is also restructuring its $36 billion in foreign debt, including $7 billion owed to China, the country’s largest creditor.
Premadasa, like Dissanayake, also wanted to develop IT and create new industrial zones. Wickremesinghe, during his campaign, promised to double tourist numbers and set up a national wealth fund to boost economic growth.
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