COLOMOBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s Marxist-leaning candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has taken an early lead in the presidential election, securing about 53% of the votes counted so far. He is contesting as the candidate for the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, backed by his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, known for advocating pro-poor policies, lower taxes, and state intervention in the economy.
Dissanayake’s platform includes promises of anti-corruption measures and economic reforms aimed at addressing the nation’s ongoing financial crisis. He pledged to dissolve parliament within 45 days and seek a fresh mandate to implement his policies. His main challengers, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, trail behind in the vote count.
This election marks Sri Lanka’s first since its economic collapse in 2022, which led to mass protests and the ousting of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The next president will face the critical task of maintaining the country’s recovery under a $2.9 billion IMF bailout, ensuring debt repayment, and reducing widespread poverty, while balancing fiscal responsibility with Dissanayake’s more populist proposals.
