According to data released by the Election Commission on Sunday, Marxist legislator Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emerged victorious in Sri Lanka’s presidential election.
This outcome reflects the electorate’s rejection of the established political leadership, which has been widely criticised for steering the South Asian nation toward economic collapse.
Dissanayake, known for his advocacy for the working class and his anti-establishment stance, gained popularity among the youth. He secured a win over opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and the incumbent liberal President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed office two years ago amidst the country’s economic downturn.
According to the Election Commission data, Dissanayake received 5,740,179 votes, while Premadasa garnered 4,530,902 votes.
The election was heavily influenced by the state of the economy, with many voters grappling with financial hardship following stringent austerity measures imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in response to the country’s economic crisis in 2022.
“This victory belongs to all of us,” Dissanayake said in a post on X.