ASIA/SRI LANKA - Elections in the midst of an economic and political crisis: the people demand change

Friday, 20 September 2024 politics economy civil society

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Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - Two years after the popular protests that led to the dismissal of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in the midst of a serious economic crisis, Sri Lanka is preparing to elect a new president. Seventeen million voters will go to the polls tomorrow, September 21. Many of them took part in the protest movement, called "aragalaya", or "struggle", calling for a radical change in the political establishment, considered corrupt. "The people will now be able to express concretely their desire for change. There is a desire for change compared to a past where transparency was lacking and impunity reigned, and after a long period of 65 years during which the same parties always dominated the political scene. The political crisis is here and we will see what the outcome of the vote will be. We pray and hope that God will guide us, that he will give the country a wise leader, that we will all work together for the good of the country," notes Bishop Echchampille Jude Silva of Badulla, in an interview with Fides.
Three main candidates are vying for the presidential seat in the island nation: incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, elected by Parliament after Rajapaksa's exit, is running as an independent candidate. The main challengers are opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and the leader of an alliance led by Marxist parties, Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Wickremesinghe has promised voters to continue on the path of economic recovery for the country. It was he who negotiated and obtained the bailout of the nearly $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, which has allowed Sri Lanka to recover, alleviate severe food and fuel shortages and reduce inflation, which reached 70%. Some voters appreciated the work he did to restore stability. Today, inflation has fallen below 5% and people no longer have to queue to buy basic necessities. However, the crisis is still being felt. Wickremesinghe has cut subsidies and raised taxes as part of austerity measures imposed by the International Monetary Fund. The cost of living has increased while wages have remained stable. The country has managed to avoid bankruptcy thanks to loans from the International Monetary Fund and countries such as China and India, but today the population is still feeling the pressure of the country's enormous debt, which stands at US$92 billion (the total of external and internal debt). At least 25% of the country's 22 million people live below the poverty line. In addition, Wickremesinghe is still seen as part of the "political old guard" that the protesters tried to overthrow. As a result, the leader of the National People's Power, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, better known as "AKD", who has attracted crowds and angered many voters with his oratory skills, is also attracting support. The alliance he leads includes political parties, youth groups, civil society organizations, women's groups and trade unions drawn mainly from the working class. As a coalition that has never governed, it is also seen as "something new". The other presidential candidate and leader of the opposition, Sajith Premadasa of the United People's Power, presents himself as a "third way" between the other two contenders, offering a "middle way" between the status quo and radical change. While in the past, voting in Sri Lanka was largely determined by ethnic, religious and clan affiliation, this time it will be above all the economy that will guide the choices. Bishop Peter Antony Wyman Croos of Ratnapura, in the centre of the island, comments to Fides. "Everyone's hope is to improve the economy, to give the poor new livelihood opportunities. The crisis is still strong, many families are suffering, there is unemployment and people are struggling to get by. All the candidates have promised to lead Sri Lanka to a prosperous future, developing new industries, improving agriculture and creating new jobs. In politics, even in the midst of the crisis, we see that there are people of good will who, we hope, will be able to govern for the true common good of the people". (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 20/9/2024)