Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the presidential candidate of the National People’s Power (NPP), has been selected as Sri Lanka’s ninth executive president.
On Sunday, September 22, the election commission formally announced NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake the winner of the 2024 presidential election.
Dissanayake, 55, won the election on Saturday, September 21, with 42.31% of the vote, according to the commission’s website. This put opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in second place and incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe in a distant third.
“Sri Lanka elects Anura Kumara Dissanayake as president.”
Dissanayake, who won just over 3% of vote in the 2019 presidential election, had a strong showing, suggesting that voters are fatigued of the established political class, which has been accused with pushing Sri Lanka into economic instability.
Representatives say that Dissanayake will take the oath of office on Monday, September 23.
After the results were released, Dissanayake made the following statement in a post on “X” (previously Twitter):
‘The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of any single person’s work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. Your commitment has brought us this far, and for that, I am deeply grateful. This victory belongs to all of us. Our journey here has been paved by the sacrifices of so many who gave their sweat, tears, and even their lives for this cause. Their sacrifices are not forgotten. We hold the scepter of their hopes and struggles, knowing the responsibility it carries. The millions of eyes filled with hope and expectation push us forward, and together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history. This dream can only be realized with a fresh start. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning. The New Renaissance we seek will rise from this shared strength and vision. Let us join hands and shape this future together!’ he said.
