Gotabaya Rajapaksa has won the Sri Lankan
presidential election after a closely fought race against ruling party
candidate Sajith Premadasa, with the country's Election Commission declaring him the winner on Sunday Nov 17,2019
Current Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, chief of Premadasa's UNP, has not indicated whether he will resign following his party's defeat. At least three cabinet ministers resigned from their posts on Sunday Nov 17,2019
As things stand, the UNP will remain in control of Parliament until at least February, when the president can constitutionally dissolve the body ahead of a general election. Alternately, Parliament can vote to dissolve itself, prompting a snap election.
"I would like to inform everyone that I will
execute everything you trusted in me [to do]," Rajapaksa said at the
results announcement, flanked by his brother Mahinda, a former two-time
president.
"Especially, at this moment, I happily say that I will carry
out all that is in my manifesto during my tenure."
Rajapaksa, a former defence secretary during
Mahinda's 10 years in power, based his campaign for Saturday's election
on providing strong leadership on national security issues, following
coordinated bombings in April that killed 269 people.
Potential standoff with Parliament
Rajapaksa has said he will name his brother Mahinda prime minister in his government. Sri Lanka operates a semi-presidential form of government, where the president, prime minister and cabinet share executive authority.Current Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, chief of Premadasa's UNP, has not indicated whether he will resign following his party's defeat. At least three cabinet ministers resigned from their posts on Sunday Nov 17,2019
As things stand, the UNP will remain in control of Parliament until at least February, when the president can constitutionally dissolve the body ahead of a general election. Alternately, Parliament can vote to dissolve itself, prompting a snap election.
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