Sri Lanka’s parliament will elect a new president on July 20, the president of the house said on Monday (11), in an indirect vote that comes after protesters invaded the homes of the current president and prime minister in response to the worst crisis. economy through which the island has been going since its independence from England in 1948.
According to the head of Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, lawmakers will meet next Friday (15) and vote to elect a new president five days later. “During the meeting of party leaders held today [segunda]it was agreed that this was essential to ensure that a new all-party government was in place in accordance with the Constitution,” the parliament added in a statement.
The current president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is expected to step down on Wednesday (13). His brothers and nephew have just left their positions in the ministries. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the prime minister whose house was set on fire by protesters on Sunday, said he would also resign.
Once the president and prime minister resign, the speaker of parliament will be appointed as interim head of government before the house votes for a new president to complete Rajapaksa’s term, which would end in 2024.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, whose Samagi Jana Balawegaya party holds 54 of the 225 seats in parliament, said his party was ready to take over the government, stabilize the country and rebuild the economy.
Sri Lankans mainly blamed the president for the collapse of the economy, dependent on tourism and hit hard by the pandemic. They also blame him for a ban on chemical fertilizers that harmed agricultural production, which was later reversed.
The country barely has dollars to import fuel, which has been severely rationed, and in recent days long lines have formed in front of stores selling cooking gas. Inflation reached 54.6% last month, but the Central Bank has warned it could rise to 70% in the coming months.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a smooth transition of government and “sustainable solutions” to the economic crisis. Political instability, however, could jeopardize a recovery deal being worked out with the International Monetary Fund, an official at the agency told Reuters on Monday.
Leaders of the protesters said the crowds would occupy the residences of the president and prime minister in the city of Colombo until they both step down. Over the weekend, activists jumped into the pool, lounged on a bed, ran on the treadmill and tried out the sofas in the president’s sumptuous colonial-era home.
Police made no attempt to intervene and claimed to have received 17.85 million rupees, about $50,000 in banknotes, found by protesters at the president’s home on Saturday. A video of young people counting the money went viral on social media.
Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe were not at their homes when they were raided and have not been seen in public since Friday. The prime minister’s residence, in an affluent suburb of Colombo, was set on fire by protesters. Three suspects were arrested.
