Marxist leader to become Sri Lanka's next president

COLOMBO: A previously marginal Marxist politician was on course to become Sri Lanka's next leader on Sunday (September 22) after a presidential election dominated by discontent over the island nation's response to an unprecedented financial crisis.

The first count of the polls on Saturday showed Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, the 55-year-old leader of the People's Liberation Front, at just over 42 percent.

His lead of almost 1.3 million votes seemed unassailable over second-place opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who was 33 percent behind.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe – who took office at the height of the economic collapse in 2022 and implemented harsh austerity policies under the terms of an IMF bailout package – came in a distant third with around 17 percent of the vote.

Sri Lanka has a preferential voting system. Before the winner is officially declared, the second candidates marked on the ballot papers are counted.

Wickremesinghe has not yet admitted defeat, but Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said it seemed clear that Dissanayaka had won.

“Although I campaigned intensively for President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the people of Sri Lanka have made their decision and I fully respect their mandate for Anura Kumara Dissanayaka,” Sabry said on social media.

Vijitha Herath, a lawmaker from Dissanayaka's party, said they were confident of victory but urged his supporters to be patient as the counting process dragged on.

“The Election Commission has to complete the process of counting the preferential votes and this is what is delaying the final result,” he said in a video message posted on the party's social media accounts.

IMF DEAL

Economic issues were at the forefront of the eight-week election campaign, and there was widespread anger among the population at the hardships that people had endured since the crisis peaked two years ago.

Dissanayaka will “not cancel” the IMF deal but will try to change it, a member of the party's politburo told AFP.

“It is a binding document, but there is a clause for renegotiation,” said Bimal Ratnayake.

He said Dissanayaka had promised to reduce the income tax doubled by Wickremesinghe and to drastically cut sales tax on food and medicine.

“We believe we can incorporate these cuts into the program and continue the four-year rescue program,” he said.