Early results favor Anura Dissanayake in Sri Lanka’s Presidential race

Sri Lanka’s Marxist-leaning Dissanayake in early lead to become president

Early results from Sri Lanka’s Presidential election indicate that Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the National People’s Power (NPP), is poised to become the country’s first leftist head of state. Local media reports suggest that if his lead holds, Dissanayake could be sworn in as Sri Lanka’s 9th Executive President later today, following an official announcement from the Elections Commission.

In response to the ongoing vote count, the Sri Lankan government has extended a curfew until noon on Sunday. Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles confirmed that the curfew, initially imposed from 10 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Despite a generally peaceful atmosphere following the elections, Sunday was enacted to ensure public safety.

The curfew was invoked under the powers granted by the Public Security Act, as stated by police officials. Additionally, the government has declared Monday, September 23, 2024, a special public holiday to facilitate the post-election process, according to Pradeep Yasarathne, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs.

This election, the first following the island nation’s severe economic crisis, featured 39 candidates, with key contenders including incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party, and Dissanayake from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party. The results are being closely monitored both domestically and regionally.

Of Sri Lanka’s population of approximately 22 million, over 17 million citizens were eligible to vote, including 1.2 million first-time voters. Polling commenced at 7 a.m. across 3,421 centers nationwide and concluded at 4 p.m.

As the nation awaits the final results, the political landscape is poised for potential change, with Dissanayake’s candidacy resonating with voters seeking a new direction in the wake of recent turmoil.

Who is Anura Dissanayake?

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a 55-year-old politician, is not new to Sri Lanka’s political landscape. Leading the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party and the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, Dissanayake gained prominence during the 2022 economic crisis that led to severe shortages and rampant inflation. This turmoil sparked the Aragalaya movement, which culminated in widespread protests and the ousting of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Although no single party officially led the movement, the JVP’s active involvement resonated with the public, positioning Dissanayake to champion calls for change and social justice in the wake of Rajapaksa’s resignation.

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