Colombo: Ranil Wickremesinghewho was named acting president of Sri Lanka It is nearing the pinnacle of power as its political and economic woes deepen on Wednesday, but can’t find much time to enjoy it.
When he was made prime minister in May, it was the sixth time that an opposition MP – known as an effective political operative at the domestic level – had taken office.
His appointment was welcomed by some at the time, as he did not belong to the ruling Rajapaksa dynasty which has become an infamous symbol of social anarchy and did not belong to the dominant parliamentary party that forms the basis of the family’s power.
This is not enough to pacify the growing anger among ordinary Sri Lankans who have stormed Colombo’s streets and stormed major government buildings in recent days, which has inspired the president. Gotabaya Rajapakse to flee abroad.
This leaves Wickremesinghe in charge of nominal, but acting, gotabaya Insists on formally rescinding his role. A lot depends on what Wickremesinghe does next.
His first move as acting president was to announce that he would declare a state of emergency and curfew in the west of the country, where the commercial capital Colombo is located. Those orders are yet to be implemented officially.
Wickremesinghe had previously offered to resign as prime minister, and if he did so the speaker would become acting president until a new leader is elected on July 20. But they have yet to step aside, causing rage on the streets.
Protesters entered the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday despite police firing tear gas shells outside. In a video message, Wickremesinghe urged people to respect the Constitution. His whereabouts were unknown.
Sri Lanka’s Defense Chief General Shavendra Silva called for peace.
“We have urged political leaders to decide the way forward until the new President is sworn in and to inform us and the public by this evening,” Silva said.
turmoil in the country
The lone member of the opposition United National Party (UNP), Wickremesinghe was sworn in by Rajapaksa in May as the president’s brother. Mahinda RajapakseWho had earlier resigned amid road protests.
“We are facing a crisis, we have to get out of it,” Wickremesinghe told Reuters as he left a temple in Colombo’s main city soon after the swearing-in. When asked if there was a possible solution, he replied: “Absolutely.”
That solution hasn’t come yet. Power outages, rising prices, fuel shortages and falling hard currency reserves are signs of how vulnerable Sri Lanka’s economy is.
The country is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout, and relies on loans from India and other Asian countries to meet this year’s needs.
Wickremesinghe, who married a university lecturer in 1995, comes from a prominent family of politicians and businessmen with big interests in the media.
He has come into political limelight in the past as well.
In 1978, he was made the youngest cabinet minister in the country at the age of 29 by his uncle, President Junius Jayawardene. He became the leader of the party in 1994 when the killings wiped out many senior party members.
Unlike Mahinda Rajapaksa, he has little support beyond wealthy urban voters. Wickremesinghe is the only UNP MP in the country’s 225-seat parliament.
The economic liberal already has experience with the IMF. Sri Lanka last held an IMF event in 2016 during one of his tenures as prime minister.
He has also forged ties with regional powers India and China, major investors and lenders, wielding influence over the island nation located along busy shipping routes connecting Asia to Europe.
Some analysts said that he was a shrewd politician, a shrewd businessman and a man capable of playing the long game.
But he hasn’t been able to escape the wave of unrest sweeping Sri Lanka, even though he hasn’t always seen a face-to-face with the Rajapaksa family that has always dominated politics for the past 20 years.
In 2019, the then President Maithripala Sirisena fired Wickremesinghe, replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa, a decision that was later ruled unconstitutional.
When he was made prime minister in May, it was the sixth time that an opposition MP – known as an effective political operative at the domestic level – had taken office.
His appointment was welcomed by some at the time, as he did not belong to the ruling Rajapaksa dynasty which has become an infamous symbol of social anarchy and did not belong to the dominant parliamentary party that forms the basis of the family’s power.
This is not enough to pacify the growing anger among ordinary Sri Lankans who have stormed Colombo’s streets and stormed major government buildings in recent days, which has inspired the president. Gotabaya Rajapakse to flee abroad.
This leaves Wickremesinghe in charge of nominal, but acting, gotabaya Insists on formally rescinding his role. A lot depends on what Wickremesinghe does next.
His first move as acting president was to announce that he would declare a state of emergency and curfew in the west of the country, where the commercial capital Colombo is located. Those orders are yet to be implemented officially.
Wickremesinghe had previously offered to resign as prime minister, and if he did so the speaker would become acting president until a new leader is elected on July 20. But they have yet to step aside, causing rage on the streets.
Protesters entered the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday despite police firing tear gas shells outside. In a video message, Wickremesinghe urged people to respect the Constitution. His whereabouts were unknown.
Sri Lanka’s Defense Chief General Shavendra Silva called for peace.
“We have urged political leaders to decide the way forward until the new President is sworn in and to inform us and the public by this evening,” Silva said.
turmoil in the country
The lone member of the opposition United National Party (UNP), Wickremesinghe was sworn in by Rajapaksa in May as the president’s brother. Mahinda RajapakseWho had earlier resigned amid road protests.
“We are facing a crisis, we have to get out of it,” Wickremesinghe told Reuters as he left a temple in Colombo’s main city soon after the swearing-in. When asked if there was a possible solution, he replied: “Absolutely.”
That solution hasn’t come yet. Power outages, rising prices, fuel shortages and falling hard currency reserves are signs of how vulnerable Sri Lanka’s economy is.
The country is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout, and relies on loans from India and other Asian countries to meet this year’s needs.
Wickremesinghe, who married a university lecturer in 1995, comes from a prominent family of politicians and businessmen with big interests in the media.
He has come into political limelight in the past as well.
In 1978, he was made the youngest cabinet minister in the country at the age of 29 by his uncle, President Junius Jayawardene. He became the leader of the party in 1994 when the killings wiped out many senior party members.
Unlike Mahinda Rajapaksa, he has little support beyond wealthy urban voters. Wickremesinghe is the only UNP MP in the country’s 225-seat parliament.
The economic liberal already has experience with the IMF. Sri Lanka last held an IMF event in 2016 during one of his tenures as prime minister.
He has also forged ties with regional powers India and China, major investors and lenders, wielding influence over the island nation located along busy shipping routes connecting Asia to Europe.
Some analysts said that he was a shrewd politician, a shrewd businessman and a man capable of playing the long game.
But he hasn’t been able to escape the wave of unrest sweeping Sri Lanka, even though he hasn’t always seen a face-to-face with the Rajapaksa family that has always dominated politics for the past 20 years.
In 2019, the then President Maithripala Sirisena fired Wickremesinghe, replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa, a decision that was later ruled unconstitutional.