Sun Sep 22 23:50:40 UTC 2024: ## Left-leaning Politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake Elected Sri Lankan President in Historic Vote
**Colombo, Sri Lanka** – Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a left-leaning politician, has been elected as Sri Lanka’s new president in a historic second round of counting, marking the first time a winner emerged in a second round since 1982.
Dissanayake, who promised voters good governance and tough anti-corruption measures, secured 5,740,179 votes, beating his closest rival, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who garnered 4,530,902 votes. The election, held on Saturday, was the first since mass protests in 2022 ousted former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis.
Dissanayake, the leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), rose to prominence during the 2022 protests known as the Aragalaya. He has sought to moderate the hard left stance of his party in recent years, and his promise for change resonated with voters who are clamoring for systematic reform.
The new president faces the daunting task of reviving the economy and lifting millions from poverty. Sri Lanka’s economic meltdown, fueled by major policy errors, weak exports, and years of under-taxation, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has left the nation grappling with a $83 billion debt and skyrocketing inflation.
Dissanayake has vowed to develop the manufacturing, agriculture, and IT sectors, while continuing the deal struck with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to bail Sri Lanka out of its economic crisis. He has also committed to mitigating the impact of the IMF’s austerity measures on the country’s poorest.
Despite facing criticism over his party’s violent past, Dissanayake’s message of good governance and his commitment to tackling corruption seem to have swayed voters. His election is seen as a significant shift in Sri Lankan politics and a possible sign of a move towards a more equitable and accountable government.
First Piper 