Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister is appointed interim president as the president flees the country

July 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has appointed the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, as interim president this Wednesday, hours after leaving the country for the Maldives and a few hours after making his resignation official in the face of the massive protests of recent days against the economic crisis on the island.

The president of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane, has revealed that Rajapaksa’s decision is in line with article 37.1 of the Constitution, as reported by the newspaper ‘Daily Mirror’. This article contemplates that in case of illness, absence from the country and other reasons that prevent him from exercising his powers, the president can appoint the prime minister for the position during this period of time.

It also highlights that “if the post of prime minister is then vacant or the prime minister is unable to act, the president may appoint the speaker of parliament to exercise these powers, duties and functions of head of state during that period.” Rajapaksa has left the country with several relatives early in the day and has assured that he will present his resignation today.

Hours earlier, Wickremesinghe had declared a state of emergency throughout the country and imposed a curfew in the west of the island in the face of new protests, while the security forces used tear gas to try to disperse a group of protesters in around the prime minister’s office. Some of them have tried to force their way into the facilities, according to the British television network BBC.

Wickremesinghe has assured in recent days that he will resign once an inclusive government is formed after Rajapaksa’s resignation, although the protesters, who have been mobilizing for weeks to protest against the economic crisis and the worsening quality of life, have demanded that the first minister who also resigns. The interim president is expected to be elected no later than July 20 and pending elections, which should not be held later than March 2023.

Rajapaksa thus gives in after several months of protests over rising prices and lack of food, medicine and fuel. The popular revolution that ended up breaking out this Saturday — with images of people breaking into luxurious official residences, including that of the president — has thus forced the definitive fall of the Rajapaksa family, after Gotabaya forced his brother Mahinda to stepping down as prime minister in a futile attempt to quell the protests.