Sri Lanka’s incumbent president has become the country’s new permanent leader after being elected in a parliamentary vote.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister in May 2022, but was temporarily appointed to head the presidency on 13 July after his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives.
Sri Lanka is in the midst of an economic crisis and is unable to pay for crucial imports such as food, fuel and medicine.
Mr. Rajapaksa fled after thousands of protesters stormed his presidential residences and other government buildings, demanding his resignation.
Sri Lankans had earlier called on Mr Wickremesinghe to resign as prime minister, with protesters burning his private home and storming the prime minister’s office in Colombo.
Mr Wickremesinghe defeated his main rival for the position, Dalus Alahapperuma, by 134 votes to 82.
After his election, the new leader told MPs that Sri Lanka was “in a very difficult situation, adding that ‘we have big challenges ahead of us.’
He will be hoping to restore political stability so that Sri Lanka can resume talks with the International Monetary Fund on a bailout package after talks stalled recently.
However, his election could spark further protests with opponents calling for Wickremesinghe to step down.
He previously served as Prime Minister six times and has been involved in Sri Lankan politics for 45 years.
Image: Ranil Wickremesinghe was previously the Prime Minister
Around 100 people gathered on the steps of the presidential secretariat, with one protester saying they were “shocked”.
“He is a person who deals with things in a very cunning way,” protester Damita Abeyratne said of Mr Wickremesinghe.
“He will begin to control us in another way. As protesters, we will begin our struggle again.”
Analysis
Dominic Waghorn
International Relations Editor
@DominicWaghorn
The news from the parliament caused shock among the protesters.
MPs voted to replace the hated President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was ousted.
The protesters expected them to vote for a government of national unity.
Instead, they chose a man seen as a puppet of the Rajapaksa clan.
Ranil Wickremesinghe is despised by the protesters.
His selection caused disappointment and anger, leaving many speechless.
What happens next, however, depends on the public appetite for more protests.
Will people stay home and give Wickremesinghe a chance to save his collapsing economy?
Or will they return to the streets in the numbers we saw last week, reoccupy government buildings and demand meaningful change?
Chameera Dedduwage, an organizer of previous protests, said one of the movement’s aims was to remove Mr Rajapaksa, and with that achieved, it “will have to satisfy its main demand”.
“Unlike GR, Ranil is not a populist: he is known as a ruthless pragmatist,” said Mr Dudduwage.
Image: While some were shocked by the result, others celebrated the decision
Following the result, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena adjourned parliament until July 27.
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