weather_iconAshburn | 21.13 °C | AQI 17
Wednesday, 9 October, 2024

---Advertisement---

World

Left-Leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake Wins Sri Lanka Presidential Election, Calls It A ‘Vote For Change

This election is the first since Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis, which led to widespread dissatisfaction with the government.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Anura Kumara Dissanayake wins election: For the first time in history, Sri Lanka’s presidential election has moved to a second round of vote counting after no candidate secured the required 50% majority in the first round. The election, which was held on Sunday, saw a very close contest between three key candidates, but none of them received enough votes to be declared the winner outright.

First Round Results: Dissanayake Leads

In the first round of counting, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, representing the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Party’s broader coalition, National People’s Power (NPP), led with 5.63 million votes, or 42.31% of the total. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) followed with 4.36 million votes, or 32.8%.

---Advertisement---

Second Round Announced

Due to no candidate crossing the 50% threshold, Sri Lanka’s Election Commission, headed by Chairman R M A L Rathnayake, announced a second round of counting. In this round, second-preference votes will be added to the two leading candidates, Dissanayake and Premadasa, to determine the final winner.

Also Read: NASA Delays SpaceX Crew-9 Mission Launch; Revised Date Set For September 26

---Advertisement---

Wickremesinghe Eliminated

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe was eliminated in the first round, securing only 2.29 million votes, or 17.27%, far below what was needed to remain in contention. Wickremesinghe’s defeat marked the end of his bid for re-election.

The Preferential Voting System

Sri Lanka employs a preferential voting system, where voters rank up to three candidates. If no candidate gets more than 50% of first-choice votes, the second and third preferences are counted in subsequent rounds. This system has never required a second round before, as past elections had clear winners from first-preference votes alone.

Post-Economic Crisis Election

This election is the first since Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis, which led to widespread dissatisfaction with the government. The results reflect a significant shift in the political landscape as the nation seeks stability and recovery

Also Read: Airplane And Bus-Sized Asteroids To Have Close Encounter With Earth – Should You Be Worried?

HISTORY

Written By

Aniket Raj


Get Breaking News First and Latest Updates from India and around the world on News24. Follow News24 on Facebook, Twitter.

Related Story

Live News

---Advertisement---


live

Breaking News LIVE: K Kavitha To Be Produced In Court Through Video Conferencing

Jul 22, 2024
LIVE: Indian Army And J&K Police Engage Terrorists In Baramulla; Operation Ongoing
  • 16:12 (IST) 22 Jul 2024

    It's raining in Delhi

  • 15:35 (IST) 22 Jul 2024

    Court's direction for K Kavitha

  • 15:13 (IST) 22 Jul 2024

    Supreme Court's verdict a relief

N24 Shorts Logo

SHORTS

Star Candidates in the assembly election results 2024
India

LIVE Haryana, J&K Election Results 2024: Will Star Candidates Bloom Or Gloom? Ravinder Raina Lost Nowshera, Anil Vij Wins Ambala Cantt

Star candidates who otherwise kept grabbing eyeballs have put their fate to the test in the democratic dangal and the decision is to be declared soon in the assembly election results.

View All Shorts

---Advertisement---

Trending