Sri Lanka’s first ever left-wing president, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, took office today vowing to “do my best” to revive the country, two years after an economic crisis led to a violent policy austerity.

Wearing a simple white shirt and smiling, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka was sworn in before Supreme Court Chief Justice Jayada Jayasuriya during a ceremony broadcast live on television.

“I will do my best to restore the people’s trust in the political class,” the 55-year-old son of a farmer said during his brief speech.

“I’m not a magician, I’m not a magician. There are things I know, others I don’t know, but I will ask for the advice of others,” he added, “that’s why I need everyone’s support.”

According to the results released by the election commission, ADK, as Anura Kumara Dissanayaka is called by his followers, got 42.3% of the votes.

Sri Lankan opposition leader Sajith Premadasa got 32.7% and outgoing president Ranil Wickremesinghe 17.2%.

The leader of the People’s Liberation Front (JVP), which had staged two deadly insurgencies in the 1970s and 1980s, Anura Kumara Deosanayaka has since renounced the armed struggle and largely converted to the market economy.

He then attracted widespread popular support by denouncing, throughout his election campaign, the “corrupt” elites he says are responsible for the 2022 bankruptcy.

Before his victory was even announced, he reaffirmed his promise to renegotiate the agreement signed in 2023 by Sri Lanka with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for $2.9 billion (€2.6 billion) in aid.

“It is a binding text, but it contains a renegotiation clause,” a party official, Bimal Ratnayake, told AFP.

The new president has promised to cut taxes on basic necessities, which burden the population and feed their frustration and anger.

He takes over the reins of a country whose economy is still very fragile.

“For Dissanayake, who has promised a new era, that he will ensure security and foster change, expectations will be high,” warned Farwa Aamer of the Asia Society think tank.

Sri Lanka experienced in 2022 the worst financial crisis in its history. It hastened the downfall of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was driven from the presidential palace by protesters angry over inflation and shortages.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was elected soon after by parliament, pursued a policy of tax increases and cuts in public subsidies in exchange for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

He was running for a second term to continue his policies, which had taken a heavy toll on the island’s 22 million inhabitants.

“History will judge my efforts, but I can say with confidence that I did the best I could to stabilize the country in one of its darkest moments,” he said yesterday, Sunday night, accepting his defeat.

“Congratulations (to the president-elect), all my wishes, I wish you the best and all my support for the success of your mission,” reacted Sajit Premadasa, who came second.

Shortly before the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena tendered his resignation, paving the way for the appointment of a new government by Dissanayaka.

The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for next year. The new president’s JVP party has only three MPs in the 220-member parliament.