Sri Lanka's newly elected president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, appointed college professor and first-time lawmaker Harini Amarasuriya as the island nation's prime minister on Tuesday, making her the third woman in history to hold the post.
Dissanayake, 55, who won Saturday’s presidential election, will oversee Sri Lanka's finance ministry as the country works to recover from its worst economic crisis in 70 years and its first-ever debt default. He has also taken on the roles of economic development and tourism minister.
Amarasuriya, 54, an academic with a doctorate in social anthropology from the University of Edinburgh, entered parliament in 2020 and will now lead the ministries of education, media, and women and children's affairs. She follows in the footsteps of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first female prime minister in 1960, and her daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who held the post in 1994.
President Dissanayake, a Marxist-leaning politician, has sparked investor concerns with plans to revisit the terms of a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout and proposals to slash taxes, potentially delaying the nation's critical $25 billion debt restructuring.
In his inaugural address, Dissanayake emphasized the need for political reform, stating, "Our politics needs to be cleaner, and the people have called for a different political culture. I am ready to commit to that change."
Veteran lawmaker Vijitha Herath, 56, has been appointed to lead the foreign affairs and public security portfolios. Herath has served as a parliamentarian since 2000 and is a key member of Dissanayake's National People’s Power coalition, which includes his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party.
Path to Political Stability
This election was the first since Sri Lanka’s economy collapsed in 2022 due to a severe foreign exchange shortage that left the country unable to pay for essential imports like fuel, medicine, and cooking gas. The economic turmoil forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign and flee the country following mass protests.
With Dissanayake's National People's Power coalition holding just three of the 225 seats in the current parliament, political analysts anticipate he will dissolve parliament and call for a snap general election to gain a broader mandate.
The new government faces immense challenges in stabilizing the economy while balancing public demands for social welfare and transparency. Dissanayake’s economic policies will be closely scrutinized as the administration navigates its relationship with the IMF and international creditors.
Prior to Dissanayake's swearing-in ceremony on Monday, outgoing Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena resigned to allow the formation of a new cabinet.
The world will watch closely as Sri Lanka attempts to rebuild its economy and restore political stability under Dissanayake's leadership.
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