Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new president

The outgoing president asks to “respect the decision” of the polls and the US congratulates Dissanayake on his victory

September 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, winner of the presidential elections held on Saturday in Sri Lanka, was sworn in on Monday as the country’s new president during a ceremony held at the presidential headquarters in the city of Colombo.

Dissanayake, leader of the communist People’s Liberation Front (PLF) party and candidate of the National People’s Power coalition – a coalition of left-wing political parties and groups backed by protesters who forced Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign – was accompanied by a large number of his supporters, who gathered outside the building to greet him before the event.

Since taking office, Dissanayake has stressed his commitment to improving the quality of life of the population, in line with his campaign promises, which focused on achieving deep reforms, fighting corruption and improving the economic situation through a “political revolution.”

The 55-year-old Marxist leader thus replaces Ranil Wickremesinghe, who came to power in 2022 following a wave of popular mobilisations due to the deep economic crisis, which led then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country.

Wickremesinghe himself expressed his gratitude to the population for going to the polls and stressed that “the people of the country have announced their decision in the presidential elections on September 21.” “We must respect their decision and act in line with that mandate to ensure the functioning of the country,” he said.

“Two years ago, I took over the reins of a bankrupt country with a collapsing economy, in extremely turbulent times. I accepted the challenge at a time when no one else had the courage to do so. I have successfully completed the responsibility that history placed on my shoulders,” he said.

She has thus highlighted the achievements of her mandate and expressed her hope that “the new president will continue on the right path and put an end to the rest of the problems facing the population,” according to the Sri Lankan state agency, Lankapuvath.

“Near the end of the rope bridge, people have decided to hand over the beloved son of Sri Lanka to President Anura Dissanayake. Mr. President, I hand over to you, with much love, the beloved boy called Sri Lanka, whom we both love with all our hearts. I hope that you will be able to get the boy away from the bridge and bring him to the other side, even safer than I was able to do,” he concluded.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE USA

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller congratulated Sri Lanka’s new president and applauded the population “for peacefully exercising their right to vote.” “These elections are a testament to the strength of Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions and the commitment of its citizens to determine their future through democratic and peaceful means,” he said.

“The United States remains committed to supporting Sri Lanka in its efforts to build a stable, prosperous and cohesive society,” he stressed, expressing Washington’s willingness to work with the new Sri Lankan president “to further strengthen” bilateral ties, “based on shared democratic values ​​and respect for national sovereignty.”

“We also look forward to promoting economic growth, security and deeper cooperation among our nations,” Miller said in a statement released by the US State Department after Sri Lanka’s electoral commission confirmed Dissanayake’s victory.

Dissanayake, who managed to get just three percent of the vote in the last election, has now obtained 42.31 percent of the direct votes and the necessary support in second options to beat his rival, Sajith Premadasa, of the United People’s Power (PPU).

The rise to power of Dissanayake’s party – a Marxist party that led two armed rebellions in 1971 and 1987 before being integrated into the party system – has been based on popular demands to step up the fight against corruption and break with the traditional party system on the island.