The island nation’s parliament for the first time directly elected a president from among several candidates.
Ranil Wickramasinghe, Acting President of Sri Lanka, was elected as the country’s new president. The results of the vote were announced by Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeiwardena, according to local newspaper Ada Derana on Wednesday, July 20.
According to him, Wickramasinghe received 134 votes of representatives. Opposition MP Dallas Alahapperuma – 82, and left-wing MP Anur Kumar Dissanayaka – 3.
For the first time, the Parliament of Sri Lanka directly elected the president from among several candidates. Normally the head of state is elected in presidential elections held nationwide for a five-year term, but since President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned before the end of his term, the parliament elected a new head before the end of the current presidential term. in accordance with the constitution.
It is known that in 1993, in connection with the assassination of President Ranasinghe Premadasa, the new President Dingiri Banda Wijetunge was also elected by Parliament for the remaining term of the presidency, but then his candidacy was alone, he was elected unanimously.
In early July, mass protests broke out in Sri Lanka over the economic crisis. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.