Today (20) marks the historic election of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the eighth Executive President of the country. Taking over the reins during a time of turmoil with long gas and fuel queues, President Wickremesinghe has successfully transformed the situation, normalizing the country.
In an unusual move, President Wickremesinghe has instructed officers not to organize any event to celebrate the completion of his first year in office. Despite numerous requests from various parties, he firmly objected to using public or private funds for such ceremonies.
Ranil Wickremesinghe’s journey to the presidency began with an official visit to India on the day of his election as the successor President. Elected through the Election of the President (Special Provisions) Act No. 2 of 1981, he secured the position by a majority vote in the Parliament, receiving 134 votes while his opponents, Dallas Alahapperuma and Anura Kumara Dissanayake, obtained 82 and three votes, respectively.
Sworn in on July 21 in the Parliament, Wickremesinghe had previously been appointed to the Ninth Parliament as a National List Member of the United National Party on June 23, 2021. Following the resignation of the then Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on May 9, 2022, Wickremesinghe stepped up to accept the Prime Minister position. At the time, the post was vacant, and neither the Opposition Leader, Sajith Premadasa, nor any other individual had come forward to assume the role.
Promising to address the multiple crises faced by the country, Wickremesinghe took on the challenging role of Prime Minister on May 12. Later, on July 14 of the same year (2022), President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned from office, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Acting President on July 15, following constitutional provisions.
In recognition of his efforts to overcome the economic crisis, international organizations and states, including the International Monetary Fund, have extended support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s work in restoring the country’s stability.
