Thousands of protesters were refusing to budge from the official residences of Sri Lanka's president and its prime minister on Monday. The prime minister's office confirmed Monday that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would resign on Wednesday.
's president and its prime minister on Monday, having occupied both homes for days. A wave of national outrage over the cost of living in the impoverished country appeared set to toppled its leaders, and the largely peaceful sit-ins of both men's opulent homes — and the protesters' refusal to leave — was literal and symbolic representation of the defiance.
People throng President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence for the second day after it was stormed in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 11, 2022.Protesters also set fire to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence on Saturday. He has refused to step down until a new government is formed. Despite assurances from the head of the country's parliament that the president would step down, the protesters have refused to leave his seafront mansion, though the president himself has not been seen for days.
The value of the Sri Lankan rupee has collapsed by 80% over the last few months, making imports more expensive and worsening inflation. Food costs have risen more than 50%. The confluence of factors has left Sri Lanka staring at national bankruptcy, with hardly any cash left to import essentials, and that has made everyday life for millions of people a struggle.
Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has said that a new coalition government would need to be formed within a week of the president officially stepping down, and opposition political parties held talks Sunday to discuss the formation of a new government. More talks were expected in the coming days.
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