Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister on Thursday in an attempt to restore stability to the Nation Amid the economic crisis.
Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who holds just one seat in the 225-member parliament, took office Thursday as the next prime minister amid the worst economic crisis in the debt-ridden island nation. The inauguration ceremony was moderated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
After serving as prime minister four times, Wickremesinghe was removed from office in October 2018 by then-President Maithripala Sirisena. However, two months later Sirisena reappointed him as prime minister.
Members of the ruling opposition of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and several other parties are known to have expressed support for Wickremesinghe’s parliamentary majority.
UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena earlier said Wickremesinghe could win a majority in parliament after taking over as the new prime minister to replace Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned on Monday.
Gotabaya’s older brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, stepped down as prime minister hours after supporters violently attacked anti-government protesters.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said he was ready to form a new government if the president promised to resign “at least in time”. Premadasa made a conditional proposal to pass new legislation that would strengthen Congress and repeal the executive branch.
Even before Wickremesinghe took office, some religious leaders opposed the move, arguing that it would only exacerbate the crisis, saying it was “not the solution” people wanted.
Tamil National Alliance Lawmaker M.A. “The president has completely lost his legitimacy and people want him to come home,” Sumantiran said. Congress will soon vote on a proposal expressing dissatisfaction with him. Wickremesinghe had no legitimacy in the current Congress from the start. He didn’t even win the constituency.”
Parliament is adjourned until the presidential vote on May 17. Not long after that, Wickremesinghe could face a vote of confidence. The House of Representatives trusts him to remain prime minister. You have to show that you are doing it.
List of prime ministers of Sri Lanka
Also read: Crisis In Sri Lanka 2022, Emergency Declared for the second time.