Sri Lanka's parliament is expected to decide who becomes the country's next president on Wednesday, however, some locals are looking to work abroad to send money home.
Among the candidates from which parliament will choose a president are Dullas Alahapperuma, a former minister under Mr Rajapaksa who is likely to be backed by a section of the ruling coalition, and Anura Dissanayake, a Marxist leader whose public support has grown during the crisis.
Protesters have rallied for weeks to kick Mr Wickremesinghe out of office, accusing him of protecting the Rajapaksa dynasty. If he is nominated and chosen, it will be a "powder keg", Mr Jayatilleka said. He recently called the protesters "fascists" and imposed a state of emergency after his office was seized and his private residence torched.Mr Wickremesinghe is the only lawmaker from his party to hold a seat in parliament after it suffered a humiliating defeat in 2020, limiting his public support and political heft.
He added that an immediate road map was needed — focused on boosting exports, increasing revenue through new taxes and slashing expenditure — but that none of this could be achieved if there was no stable government.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Collateral damage: China, Sri Lanka and a developing debt crisisSri Lanka’s economic catastrophe is a harbinger of further monetary woes in poorer countries. China, the ATM of the developing world, has to decide if it is part of the solution or part of the problem.
Read more »
Collateral damage: China, Sri Lanka and a developing debt crisisSri Lanka’s economic catastrophe is a harbinger of more monetary woes in poorer countries. China, the ATM of the developing world, has to decide if it is part of the solution or part of the problem | OPINION from Peter Hartcher
Read more »
Sri Lanka: acting president declares state of emergency ahead of MPs’ voteDeclaration called ‘expedient’ as Ranil Wickremesinghe tries to curb unrest over ongoing political and economic crises
Read more »
State of emergency declared in Sri Lanka amid ongoing protests over shortagesLong lines continue outside petrol stations in Colombo, with frequent arguments breaking out amongst those waiting up to several days in the serpentine queues.
Read more »
Collateral damage: China, Sri Lanka and a developing debt crisisSri Lanka’s economic catastrophe is a harbinger of further monetary woes in poorer countries. China, the ATM of the developing world, has to decide if it is part of the solution or part of the problem.
Read more »