Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a 55-year-old leftist politician known for his pro-working class stance, has been elected Sri Lanka’s next president in the country’s first election since the economic collapse of 2022.
The chief of the National People’s Power coalition, a left-wing political party, secured 42 per cent of the vote, according to unofficial results. The election marks the first presidential contest since widespread protests in 2022 which ousted previous leader, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa followed with 32 per cent of the vote, while incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe trailed at 17 per cent.
Mr Dissanayake’s victory represents a significant political shift in Sri Lanka. Born in 1968 in Galewela in central Sri Lanka, Mr Dissanayake’s early years were shaped by the country’s turbulent political landscape. He entered politics as a university student during the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement of 1987, a period that triggered one of the bloodiest insurgencies in Sri Lanka’s history.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist political party Mr Dissanayake would eventually lead, played a central role in the armed revolt between 1987 and 1989.
In his campaign, he emphasised the need for change, casting himself as the candidate who could break with Sri Lanka’s traditional political elite.
In the last election, he scored only 3 per cent of the vote, but his popularity has grown exponentially, particularly among younger voters frustrated by the long-standing political dynasties.
However, he faces enormous challenges as the country grapples with a severe economic crisis. Since 2022, Sri Lanka has been plagued by a shortage of essentials, including fuel, medicine, and food, leading to widespread protests and the eventual resignation of Rajapaksa.
Mr Dissanayake’s Marxist-Leninist roots, shaped by his involvement in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), add a layer of complexity as the nation navigates its relationship with international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mr Dissanayake has committed to continuing negotiations with the IMF, promising to seek changes that benefit the country without abandoning existing financial agreements.
His potential prime minister, Dr Harini Amarasuriya, addressed these concerns, stating: “We don’t have the experience in making the country bankrupt, but we will certainly gain experience in rebuilding it.”