President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Vowed to end the remaining two years of his term despite months of street protests, but will not stand for re-election as he focuses on fixing a financial mess. Sri Lanka In its worst financial crisis ever. “I cannot go on as a failed president, his first with a foreign media organization since the crisis,” Rajapaksa said in an extensive interview at his official residence in Colombo on Monday. “I have been given the mandate for five years. I will not contest again.”
The protest comes in the face of slogans “Gota go home”, with protesters blaming Rajapaksa and his family for decisions that have led to severe shortages of everything from fuel to medicine, pushing inflation up to 40% and Forced a historic loan default. “It is unlikely to pacify the protesters,” said Patrick Curran, an economist. “With elections more than two years away, Rajapaksa’s decision to look at his term will add to political uncertainty and could hinder reform efforts.”
Gotabaya was also skeptical about the success of a planned amendment to the constitution, which seeks to include the post of acting president. Cabinet is due to approve proposals early Monday, which would roll back sweeping powers gotabaya Pushed through parliament in 2019. A draft of the so-called 21st Amendment gives back some powers to Parliament and restores independence to the commissions in making important decisions. Gotabaya said that either the presidency should be abolished or the parliament should be kept out of governance. “You can’t have a mixed system,” he said.
The protest comes in the face of slogans “Gota go home”, with protesters blaming Rajapaksa and his family for decisions that have led to severe shortages of everything from fuel to medicine, pushing inflation up to 40% and Forced a historic loan default. “It is unlikely to pacify the protesters,” said Patrick Curran, an economist. “With elections more than two years away, Rajapaksa’s decision to look at his term will add to political uncertainty and could hinder reform efforts.”
Gotabaya was also skeptical about the success of a planned amendment to the constitution, which seeks to include the post of acting president. Cabinet is due to approve proposals early Monday, which would roll back sweeping powers gotabaya Pushed through parliament in 2019. A draft of the so-called 21st Amendment gives back some powers to Parliament and restores independence to the commissions in making important decisions. Gotabaya said that either the presidency should be abolished or the parliament should be kept out of governance. “You can’t have a mixed system,” he said.