Sri Lanka Decides: Presidential Election Amid Economic Recovery

Sri Lanka faces its first election since the 2022 economic crisis. Voters will choose among 38 candidates, with economic recovery central to the election debate. Incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and Sajith Premadasa are the main contenders. Polling expectations show Dissanayake leading.

Sri Lanka is heading to the polls for the first time since the devastating economic crisis of 2022. Voters will choose among 38 candidates, with the economy remaining the focal point of the debate. Economic turmoil in 2022, compounded by COVID-19, led President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed office after Rajapaksa's exit, is seeking re-election. His main rivals include Anura Kumara Dissanayake from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Polls show Dissanayake currently leading.

Voting will occur at 13,134 polling stations from 7 am to 4 pm local time, with results expected late evening. Wickremesinghe, running as an independent, is challenged for his association with the policy failings that led to the crisis. Dissanayake's anti-corruption stance and Premadasa's populist promises are resonating with many voters.

(With inputs from agencies.)