Anura Kumara Dissanayake Takes Commanding Lead in Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election
In a surprising turn of events, leftist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake has taken a commanding lead in Sri Lanka’s presidential election. The election, held on Saturday, is the first to be held since mass protests unseated the country’s leader, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in 2022 after the country suffered its worst economic crisis.
Dissanayake’s promise of tough anti-corruption measures and good governance has resonated strongly with voters who have been clamoring for systematic change since the crisis. Early results on Sunday morning showed Dissanayake with a commanding lead, winning close to 50% of votes counted. A candidate needs 51% of the total vote to be declared the winner.
Mr. Premadasa is in second place with nearly 26% of the total vote. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is seeking a second term, has so far received 16% while Namal Rajapaksa, the nephew of the ousted president, has got close to 3%.
Seventeen million Sri Lankans were eligible to vote on Saturday, and voting proceeded peacefully. However, authorities declared a curfew on Sunday morning, which was extended until noon local time.
Dissanayake has already received messages of congratulations from supporters of his two main rivals, incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said that early results clearly pointed to a victory by Dissanayake.
Despite their support for other candidates, supporters of Wickremesinghe and Premadasa have offered their congratulations to Dissanayake. MP Harsha de Silva, who supported Premadasa, said he has called Dissanayake to offer his congratulations.
Another Premadasa supporter, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman MA Sumanthiran, praised Dissanayake for delivering an “impressive win” without relying on “racial or religious chauvinism.” Dissanayake’s strong showing in the election signals a significant shift in Sri Lankan politics and a mandate for change from the country’s voters.
