Ranil Wickremesinghe succeeded Gotabaya Rajapaksa by gaining 134 votes in a parliamentary vote.
Ranil Wickremesinghe to help Sri Lanka amid country’s crisis
Ranil Wickremesinghe, former prime minister of Sri Lanka, won a parliamentary ballot amid an economic crisis. Sri Lanka has faced a series of protests by fed-up residents. Protests were sparked by the shortage of basic needs and price hikes which included petrol prices and food.
The vote comes after former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was said to have fled the country in a military jet. Wickremesinghe now faces the difficult task of leading the country out of its current economic state and restoring order amongst civilians.
The 73-year-old is now hoping to restore political stability so the country can return to some much-needed negotiations with the International Monetary Fund in hopes of economic relief. Shortly after the results were announced, Wickremesinghe told parliament that “the time has come to work together.”
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It is uncertain whether or not Ranil will be accepted by the people of Colombo as he steps into his new role. On 9 July 2022, angry protestors finally had enough and took matters into their own hands. The protestors started a riot which took place at both Rajapksa and Wickremesinghe’s private residences. While the riot may have succeeded in getting rid of Gotabaya, it was not anticipated who would soon take his place.
With the rest still unwritten, Wickremesinghe wastes no time in trying to restore peace and harmony back to Sri Lanka.
Five things to know about Ranil Wickremesinghe
If Ranil Wickremesinghe is going to be the new president of Sri Lanka, we may as well get to know him. Here are some facts about the six-time prime minister:
- Ranil Wickremesinghe was born on 24 March 1949 to a successful lawyer and press baron; Ranil Wickremesinghe is the second eldest of five siblings. He grew up in a fairly influential Buddhist family.
- In his primary and secondary schooling years, he attended Royal College in Colombo. Upon graduating from school, he obtained a law degree from the University of Colombo. Thereafter, a young Ranil joined the United National Party with a very impactful role.
- Wickremesinghe is actually a lawyer by profession, but he is married to politics. At the age of 28, he received his first ministerial position. In a short amount of time, Ranil became a full cabinet minister. He is also claimed to be the best minister of education that Sri Lanka had ever seen.
- He married the second love of his life in 1994, Maithree Wickremesinghe, who is an English professor at the University of Kelaniya.
- Wickremesinghe is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society. An international organisation which is comprised of philosophers, economists, historians, and business leaders.
The politician is set to serve for the remainder of Rajapksa’s term, which will come to an end in November 2024.
