Sri Lanka’s presidential election a test for current leader, 2 years after its economy hit bottom
Associated Press4 days
Anura Kumara Dissanayake Sworn in as Sri Lanka's President
Above: Anura Kumara Dissanayake takes oath as president of Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sept. 23, 2024. Image copyright: Presidency of Sri Lanka/Handout/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the People's Liberation Front or Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the National People's Power (NPP) alliance, took his oath as Sri Lanka's new president on Monday.
A day earlier, the country's election commission announced that Dissanayake had won Saturday's election — the first since mass protests broke out in 2022 amid economic turmoil.
The Spin
Narrative A
The people of Sri Lanka, fed up with the corrupt political elite that has brought the country to an economic meltdown and with the debt and austerity measures imposed by the IMF, have decided to vote for change and economic sovereignty. Dissanayake still has a long way to go to deliver on his promises, but his victory offers hope for a better future.
Narrative B
First and foremost, Dissanayake must realize that his victory by no means suggests a national endorsement of his alliance's Marxist manifesto, given that more than half of the country didn't vote for him. It's vital that the new president acts in the best interest of the nation, leading a moderate campaign to deliver real change.