Sri Lanka’s crucial Presidential election underway amid economic recovery; here are the key candidates

Polling begins in Sri Lanka

Polls opened in Sri Lanka on Saturday for a pivotal presidential election, the first since the country faced its worst economic collapse in 2022. Over 17 million citizens are eligible to cast their votes at more than 13,400 polling stations across the island nation. The election, safeguarded by 63,000 police personnel and facilitated by over 200,000 officials, began at 7 AM and will continue until 5 PM, with results expected by Sunday.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 75, is seeking re-election as an Independent candidate. Wickremesinghe has been credited with spearheading the country's swift economic recovery following its collapse. His reforms, although tied to unpopular conditions under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout, have been recognized as one of the quickest recovery efforts globally.

The election is a three-way contest, with Wickremesinghe facing tough competition from Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 56, leader of the National People's Power (NPP), and Sajith Premadasa, 57, leader of the main Opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Both Dissanayake and Premadasa have voiced concerns about the strict IMF-linked reforms, advocating for modifications to ease the burden on the public.

Dissanayake has capitalized on the political and economic turbulence, gaining support with his commitment to dismantling Sri Lanka’s "corrupt political culture." Meanwhile, Premadasa is also campaigning on economic reforms, seeking to provide relief to citizens amid ongoing recovery efforts.

Interestingly, this election has seen a shift in focus from traditional issues like minority Tamil rights, with all candidates concentrating on reviving the country's battered economy.

Sri Lanka’s last election in 2022 saw massive public protests that led to the ousting of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, marking a dramatic shift in the political landscape. The country now waits to see who will lead it through the next phase of recovery.

(With inputs from agencies)