Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka’s presidential election, according to data released by the Election Commission on Sunday. Voters decisively rejected the traditional political elite, which has been blamed for driving the country into its worst economic crisis.
Dissanayake, who gained popularity among the youth with his pro-working-class, anti-elite platform, secured victory over opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Wickremesinghe had taken over two years ago as the country’s economy faced severe decline.
According to Election Commission data, Dissanayake received 5,740,179 votes, while Premadasa followed with 4,530,902.
The election, held on Saturday, was seen as a crucial moment for Sri Lanka, which is trying to recover from its worst economic downturn. Dissanayake celebrated his victory, attributing it to the collective efforts of his supporters. “This achievement is not the result of any single person’s work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. This victory belongs to all of us,” he shared in a post on X.
Dissanayake, 55, leads the left-leaning National People’s Power coalition, which brings together civil society groups, professionals, Buddhist clergy, and students.
The election was widely viewed as a referendum on Wickremesinghe’s leadership, which has included restructuring Sri Lanka’s debt under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program following the country’s 2022 default. Dissanayake had vowed to renegotiate the IMF agreement to ease austerity measures, while Wickremesinghe had warned that altering the terms could delay crucial financial support.
Although no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, Sri Lanka’s preferential voting system allowed Dissanayake to win after the redistribution of votes from eliminated candidates.
Dissanayake’s strong showing is a significant shift from the 2019 presidential election, where he received just over 3% of the vote, signaling growing frustration with the traditional political establishment.
Wickremesinghe’s Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry, congratulated Dissanayake on his victory, expressing hope that he would lead with transparency, integrity, and a focus on the long-term well-being of the country.
Sri Lanka has made strides in its economic recovery, recently reaching an agreement with private bondholders to restructure over $17 billion in debt. However, citizens continue to struggle with high taxes and rising living costs, which have resulted from years of excessive borrowing, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and poor management of the nation’s foreign reserves.
The economic collapse triggered widespread shortages of essential goods, leading to mass protests and the eventual ousting of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022. Wickremesinghe was subsequently elected by Parliament to complete the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term.