And despite Wickremesinghe claiming he was the only candidate in this election that could lead Sri Lanka to economic recovery, he was only able to secure 17 per cent of the vote, making him third in the race.
There have been 38 candidates in this presidential election, none of them women. But it has really been a three-horse race between left-leaning politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Sri Lanka has continued to suffer two past years of negative growth. Yet inflation has come down since its 2022 peak. But wages remain low, taxes high, and the poverty rate has doubled according to the World Bank. This is a nation frustrated and crying out for a brighter future.
MOOD FOR CHANGE
The mood for change was also about the fact that people were wanting to send a message that the damage that they blame Rajapaksa has left on the country must be addressed and that he must be held to account for it.
That is just one of the platforms that the Sri Lankan president-elect Anura Kumara Dissanayake (popularly known by his initials AKD) has stood for – good governance and ending fraud, corruption and waste.
His grassroots campaign also included reforming the enlarged parliament and increasing economic development. The resulted in him securing 42.31 per cent of the vote, which gave him the majority to win, after a second round of voting, the first time that had occurred in Sri Lanka’s history.
AKD’s platform has created waves across the country turning voter disillusionment into a sign of hope for the nation’s future. It has particularly hit a chord with younger voters who were excited to vote for their new president after being part of the movement to force the unpopular Rajapaksa from office in 2022 and flee the country.
Premadasa who came a close second also campaigned against “those who robbed the country”, which also hit a chord especially with those in rural communities.
