Sri Lanka Votes Amid Economic Crisis

Sri Lanka is set to hold its presidential election on Saturday, the first since the country's severe economic crisis in 2022. President Ranil Wickremesinghe is seeking a new mandate to continue austerity measures he claims have stabilized the economy, despite ongoing hardships for many citizens. The election is seen as a referendum on his government's handling of the economic situation and the austerity measures imposed under a £2.2 billion IMF bailout. Meanwhile, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a leftist candidate, has emerged as a strong contender, leading in polls with promises of welfare schemes and anti-corruption measures. Voter sentiment reflects frustration with the entrenched political elite, as many citizens still demand significant political change after the protests that led to the ousting of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Approximately 17.1 million people are eligible to vote, with election monitoring in place due to the high stakes of the election.