By In a historic first, Sri Lanka’s presidential election has moved to a second round of counting after no candidate secured more than 50% of the vote in the initial tally.
The election commission announced Sunday that leftist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake led the first round with 42.31% of the vote, followed by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa at 32.76%. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe finished third with 17%.
As per Sri Lankan election laws, a candidate must secure 50% plus one vote to win. This unprecedented situation has triggered the counting of second and third preference votes from eliminated candidates’ ballots.
“This is the first time in our electoral history that we’ve had to move to a second count,” said Nimal Punchihewa, chairman of the election commission. “We’re now examining the secondary and tertiary preferences on the ballots of eliminated candidates.”
The election, held Saturday, was the first since mass protests ousted former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022 amid a severe economic crisis. Seventeen million Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in what officials described as the country’s most peaceful election to date.
Dissanayake’s early lead sparked premature congratulations from several high-profile figures, including the country’s foreign minister. However, as counting progressed, Premadasa narrowed the gap.
The new president will face the daunting task of reviving Sri Lanka’s economy and alleviating widespread poverty. The country is still reeling from an economic meltdown that saw foreign currency reserves depleted, leading to shortages of essential goods and skyrocketing inflation.
Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon, a political scientist at the Open University of Sri Lanka, told the BBC Sinhala Service, “The most serious challenge is how to restore this economy.”
Both leading candidates have proposed various economic reforms. Dissanayake has promised to develop manufacturing, agriculture, and IT sectors, while Premadasa has pushed for new industrial zones and boosting tourism.
The election commission expects to announce the final results within the next 24 hours. As the country awaits the outcome, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation for potential change and economic recovery.
