In Sri Lanka, nearly a week after the official resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, now in exile in Singapore, parliamentarians will elect this Wednesday, July 20 a new head of state. A political transition that is proving delicate, because if the Rajapaksa clan is no longer in the race, their party remains in the majority in the Assembly.
With our correspondent in the region, Sebastien Farcis
Three candidates are competing for the highest executive position: the best known, and the favorite, is the current Prime Minister, who also holds the interim presidency. Ranil Wickremesinghe, 73, is a veteran of Sri Lankan politics, and has been prime minister six times under different majorities. He is the only member of his party in the Assembly, but enjoys the support of the SLPP, the party of the Rajapaksa which has the relative majority there.
Ranil Wikremesinghe is however not very popular these days, because of its collaboration with the hated Rajapaksa clan.
Facing him, a surprise adversary: Dullas Alahapperuma, minister under the recent Rajapaksa government and dissident of their SLPP party. He is the moderate opposition candidate. This 63-year-old former journalist has recently challenged the ruling clan and has pledged, if elected, to appoint the leader of the parliamentary opposition as Prime Minister, Sajith Premadasa.
The last candidate comes from the radical left, which has three seats in Parliament.
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