Marxist lawmaker Dissanayake wins Sri Lanka presidential election

By Anjana Pasricha September 22, 2024

In Sri Lanka, Marxist-leaning lawmaker Anura Kumar Dissanayake has won the presidential election, promising to help the poor and root out corruption in a country where the economic crisis two years ago led to loud cries for systemic change.

It represents a major shift in politics in the South Asian nation, which has rejected the mainstream political parties that have ruled the country for decades. Dissanayake, 55, known for his pro-working class stance, leads a left-wing coalition, National People’s Power.

His own party, the JVP, once a fringe, radical group, has only three seats in the 225-member parliament and is not part of the political mainstream.

Political analysts say widespread disillusionment with the established political parties has catapulted Dissanayake to the top position.

“This victory belongs to all of us,” Dissanayake wrote in a post on X. “We are ready to rewrite Sri Lanka’s history.”

“We believe that we can turn this country around, we can build a stable government,” Dissanayake told reporters. “For me, this is not a position, it is a responsibility.”

He emerged victorious after a historic second round of counting, after none of the three leading candidates had received the 50% plus one vote needed to secure an outright victory in the first count. He had received 42% of the votes cast in the first count.

Dissanayake’s alliance is made up of various groups, including political parties, youth, civil society, women’s groups and trade unions. It is centred on the working class.

“We have rejected the old-school parties. I am overjoyed, this is what we need,” said guide Hasitha Vishwa. “For us, the younger generation, Dissanayake is a symbol of non-corruption. Previous politicians were too corrupt.”

The coming months could see a dramatic change in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. Dissanayake has vowed to dissolve parliament after seizing power to seek a new mandate for his policies in a general election. It is the first time that a country that has followed a free-market policy for more than five decades has a government with a leftist ideology.

Popularly known as AKD, the firebrand politician has presented himself as the candidate who will clean up the country’s politics — the demand made by tens of thousands of protesters two years ago when they stormed the presidential palace and ousted former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Protesters blamed entrenched corruption and mismanagement for the country’s economic collapse.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe was praised for stabilizing the economy and pulling it back from bankruptcy, but was widely criticized for failing to address corruption concerns and protect the Rajapaksa political dynasty. He was eliminated in the second count after winning just 17% of the vote. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa won 32% of the vote.

“History will judge my efforts but I can say with certainty that I did my best to stabilise the country during one of its darkest periods,” Wickremesinghe said in a statement.

Political analysts said that while Dissanayake may have won by demanding change, the country, whose economic future is at stake, is entering uncharted territory.

“He is essentially untested. He is a newcomer to the market,” said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives. “We don’t know what his team is and whether they have the expertise and experience to address the challenges that the country is facing.”

Dissanayake now faces the daunting task of addressing the biggest concern of many voters: alleviating the hardship faced by millions of people due to the skyrocketing cost of living.

Strict economic reforms implemented after the country secured a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund to save the economy from bankruptcy have led to higher prices for basic necessities such as food and fuel, pushing many into poverty or seeing their living standards plummet.

“Yes, he has promised to ease the burden on people through austerity measures, but the big question is where the money will come from,” asks analyst Paikiasothy.

Dissanayake has said he will stick to the International Monetary Fund’s $2.9 billion bailout package and repay the country’s public debt, which is crucial to building on the fragile economic recovery of the past two years.

But he has promised to renegotiate the terms of the IMF deal to make austerity measures more bearable by cutting taxes.

“It will be a big change for Sri Lanka. A lot of people are excited about the prospect and a lot of people are worried about the prospect,” said Alan Keenan, Senior Consultant, Sri Lanka, at the International Crisis Group.

Dissanayake will be sworn in on Monday. About 17% of the country’s 17.1 million voters cast their ballots in the election.