Who is President Anura Kumara Dissanayake? After two rounds of vote counting, Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been declared the winner of Sri Lanka’s presidential election.
Nearly 13 million Sri Lankans voted on Saturday in the country’s first election since its 2022 financial crisis — when mass protests forced the former President out of office.
None of the 38 presidential candidates secured a clear majority during the first round of vote counting.
However, a left-leaning candidate emerged as the front-runner after a second count.
Background
Sri Lanka has a population of around 22 million. Around 75% of the population is Sinhalese, and around 15% is Tamil.
The country’s 2022 economic collapse sparked anti-government protests. Then-President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and later resigned.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed to the Presidency by a parliamentary vote in July 2022.
Before he became President, the 75-year-old served six terms as PM.
IMF fund
To help aid its financial recovery, the Sri Lankan Government received a $AU4.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
However, economic inequality and the poverty rate have worsened in Sri Lanka under the Wickremesinghe Government.
As a result, the lead-up to its presidential election was focused on economic development and improved outcomes for poorer populations.
Election
Around 76% of Sri Lanka’s eligible 17 million voters turned out for an election over the weekend.
President Wickremesinghe – considered a front-running candidate – was eliminated after the first round of voting.
The former leader of the (centre-right) United National Party ran as an independent candidate in this election — to separate his political ties to former President Rajapaksa.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, another front-runner, finished second after Saturday’s vote.
Who is Anura Kumara Dissanayake?
Anura Kumara Dissanayake took the lead in early opinion polls before he was declared the winner of Sri Lanka’s election.
The 55-year-old received over 5.7 million votes, according to Election Commission data.
He is the leader of the People’s Liberation Front (JVP) party and the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance — political groups known for traditionally left-wing or socialist policies.
After recent economic and political instability, NPP’s popularity spiked for its focus on anti-corruption and the nation’s poorer population.
The NPP has also proposed tax cuts and increasing government worker salaries.
As a political leader, Dissanayake has been aligned with Marxist/anti-capitalist ideologies. His economic policy includes boosting Sri Lanka’s industrial and manufacturing capabilities.
Following his victory, the new President of Sri Lanka posted to X: “The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning.”
