Colombo, — Sri Lanka has elected Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist-leaning leader, as its new president. Dissanayake’s win reflects widespread discontent with corruption and economic mismanagement in the country, which is grappling with its worst financial crisis in decades.
Dissanayake, 55, defeated incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in a closely contested race. Lacking the political background of his rivals, Dissanayake led from the outset and secured 42.3% of the vote, marking a significant shift in the nation’s leadership.
“We can turn this country around. For me, this is not a position; it is a responsibility,” Dissanayake said following his victory, confirmed after a historic second vote tally.
The election served as a critical referendum on Wickremesinghe’s leadership, defined by unpopular austerity measures designed to stabilize Sri Lanka’s struggling economy. Wickremesinghe, who has been managing the country’s recovery, finished third with just 17% of the vote. In his concession, he stated, “Mr. President, here I hand over to you with much love, the dear child called Sri Lanka, whom we both love very dearly.”
Dissanayake’s victory came as a surprise to many, as his support surged to 5.6 million votes—up from just 3% in the 2019 presidential election. Premadasa finished second with 32.8% of the vote.
For the first time in the island nation’s history, the presidential election was decided through a second tally, necessitated when no candidate reached the 50% threshold. Under Sri Lanka’s complex voting system, voters rank their top three preferences, and if no candidate achieves a majority, the top two advance to a runoff determined by preferential votes.
Roughly 75% of the 17 million eligible voters cast their ballots, marking a high turnout for the first election since the country’s 2022 economic meltdown. The crisis, sparked by a severe foreign exchange shortage, led to crippling shortages of essential imports and sparked mass protests that ousted former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Dissanayake positioned himself as the candidate of change, appealing to voters weary of austerity linked to a $2.9 billion IMF bailout. He pledged to dissolve parliament within 45 days and seek a fresh mandate for his policies.
“The election result clearly shows the uprising that we witnessed in 2022 is not over,” said Pradeep Peiris, a political scientist at the University of Colombo. “People have voted in line with those aspirations to have different political practices and institutions. AKD (as Dissanayake is known) reflects these aspirations.”
While his manifesto has raised concerns, particularly over plans to slash taxes and renegotiate $25 billion in debt, Dissanayake has assured voters that any changes will be made in consultation with the IMF, reaffirming his commitment to fiscal responsibility.
Supported by the IMF deal, Sri Lanka’s economy has begun a tentative recovery, with growth expected this year for the first time in three years and inflation down from 70% to 0.5%. However, the cost of living remains high, and poverty persists, with millions of Sri Lankans still struggling.
Running as the candidate for the National People’s Power alliance, which includes his Marxist-leaning Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, Dissanayake’s platform promised tough anti-corruption measures and increased support for the poor, boosting his appeal despite JVP’s minimal parliamentary presence.
He faces significant challenges ahead, including maintaining Sri Lanka’s IMF program until 2027, ensuring economic stability, repaying debts, and attracting investment to lift millions out of poverty.
“The root cause of this country’s downfall is bad management,” said Janak Dias, a 55-year-old real estate businessman. “If we have a good manager to rule this country, we can be successful in the future.”
