Sri Lanka has a new president, after its first election since its economy collapsed in 2022 and protesters forced then-prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign.
55-year-old Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist politician, was elected as president on Sep. 22, 2024, beating opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and, for some reason, Wickremesinghe again.
Marxist party leader
Dissanayake has been described as "anti-establishment", a "leftist", and even a "Marxist".
According to the BBC, in 1997 he joined the central committee of the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist political party, and became its leader in 2008.
The JVP previously took part in armed violence against the Sri Lankan government from 1987 to 1989, which was marked by "raids" and "assassinations" and resulted in a death toll in the thousands.
However, Dissanayake has apologised for the violence caused by the group in a 2014 interview with the BBC.
The JVP has just three seats in parliament, but it remains a member of the National People's Power alliance, which Dissanayake now leads and propelled him to the presidency.
Promised action on corruption
Dissanayake, who won over 5.7 million votes, ran on a platform of anti-corruption and renegotiating the terms of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal to make its austerity conditions less harsh on the working population.
He also promised to cut taxes and expand welfare measures, which were imposed by the previous government to improve economic conditions after its collapse.
However, it appeared that the high cost of living and economic concerns weighed on the minds of voters, who blamed the previous government for their struggles.
Still, Dissanayake struck a rather moderate tone in his campaign, the BBC reported, promising to ensure repayment of Sri Lanka's debt and to work with the IMF in implementing changes.
In a Twitter (now X) post following his victory, Dissanayake called for unity among Muslims, Tamils, Sinhalese and all Sri Lankans.
The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of any single person’s work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. Your commitment has brought us this far, and for that, I am deeply grateful. This victory… pic.twitter.com/N7fBN1YbQA
— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) September 22, 2024
He also acknowledged the congratulations from Narendra Modi, prime minister of India, Sri Lanka's giant neighbour.
Congratulations @anuradisanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2024
Top image from Dissanayake's X account