Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the left-leaning National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, has secured the presidency following a historic second round of counting. The election marked a significant moment in Sri Lankan history, as no candidate won more than 50% of the vote in the initial round, leading to the unprecedented second-round tally. Dissanayake emerged victorious with 5,740,179 votes (42.31%), edging out his closest rival, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who garnered 4,530,902 votes (32.76%).
The election, held on Saturday, was the first since mass protests unseated former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022, following Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis in recent memory. Dissanayake, 55, framed his campaign around themes of good governance, anti-corruption, and economic revival, which resonated strongly with the public, leading to his triumph.
A Close and Historic Race
The election process was a closely contested one, with Dissanayake and Premadasa battling fiercely for the presidency. After the first round, Dissanayake led the field but fell short of the 50% mark required for outright victory. Premadasa, with 32.76% of the votes, followed closely behind. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who managed only 17% of the vote, was eliminated after the first round.
The second round of counting, which incorporated voters’ second and third-choice candidates, ultimately gave Dissanayake the edge, ensuring his victory. The Election Commission described the process as one of the most peaceful elections in Sri Lanka’s history, with seventeen million eligible voters taking part.
Challenges Ahead: Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation
Dissanayake’s victory comes as Sri Lanka continues to grapple with an economic meltdown, a crisis that stoked the 2022 protests and led to Rajapaksa’s ousting. In his victory message on X (formerly Twitter), Dissanayake told Sri Lankans, “This victory belongs to us all,” underscoring his intention to lead a government aimed at addressing the deep-rooted issues that have plagued the nation.
Among the president’s immediate priorities will be reviving an economy crippled by the loss of foreign currency reserves, ballooning public debt, and soaring inflation. In 2022, Sri Lanka’s inflation rate hit 70%, leaving essentials like food, medicine, and fuel unaffordable for many citizens. These economic challenges, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and longstanding policy errors, left millions of Sri Lankans in poverty.
Dissanayake has vowed to develop the country’s manufacturing, agriculture, and IT sectors as key pillars of economic recovery. He has also committed to maintaining Sri Lanka’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which extended a crucial $2.9 billion bailout in exchange for sweeping economic reforms. However, he emphasized reducing the impact of austerity measures on Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable citizens.
Overcoming the Party’s Past
Dissanayake’s leadership of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party known for two armed insurrections in the 1970s and 80s, initially cast doubt on his electability. However, his focus on moderating the hard-left stance of the JVP and advocating for anti-corruption measures helped him gain traction with voters yearning for systemic change. The JVP’s involvement in the 2022 Aragalaya (struggle) protests also helped reposition the party as a voice for the people, elevating Dissanayake as a leader for reform.
His opponent, Sajith Premadasa, similarly campaigned on promises of economic revival, with a focus on the IT sector and the establishment of new industrial zones. Despite losing, Premadasa remains a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, likely to continue playing a vital role in shaping the country’s future.
A Peaceful Transition
In a sign of peaceful democratic transition, outgoing president Wickremesinghe congratulated Dissanayake on his victory. “With much love and respect for this beloved nation, I hand over its future to the new president,” Wickremesinghe said in a statement.
Dissanayake’s presidency represents a shift in Sri Lankan politics, one that has seen the traditional power structures upended in favor of a candidate with a progressive platform centered on reform. Now, he faces the formidable challenge of rebuilding a nation still reeling from years of economic mismanagement and corruption, but with a mandate for change, Sri Lankans are hopeful that Dissanayake will deliver the reform they desperately need.
