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Sri Lanka's new president calls for snap parliamentary polls

International 2024-09-25, 11:40am

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Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Reuters photo via DW News



President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has dissolved the present government and called for snap elections in Sri Lanka. The move could help him consolidate power in the parliament.

Sri Lanka's newly elected president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, dissolved parliament on Tuesday and announced the date for a general election.

According to a government gazette notification, the parliamentary elections will be held on November 14 and the next parliament will convene on November 21.

The decision was expected as Dissanayake had promised during his election campaign that he would form a new government.

Following Dissanayake's swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena resigned, clearing the way for Dissanayake to appoint a new prime minister and a cabinet.

Dissanayake's coalition group, the National People's Party, holds only three seats in the 225-member parliament. A fresh mandate could help him secure his position there as he continues to enjoy the public's support post-win.

The presidential election and Dissanayake's victory were seen as a referendum on the reform policies pushed by the outgoing government to stabilize the economy after Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis. - DW News