The presidential election in the crisis-ridden island republic of Sri Lanka has begun.
There are many candidates, but the election is expected to be between the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Marxist-influenced member of parliament Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.
The results of the voters' decision – there are 17 million eligible voters – are expected to be clear by Sunday.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed in a parliamentary vote in 2022 after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to flee the country and resign. This followed riots and discontent with his rule and the harsh conditions that citizens were forced to endure as a result of a deep economic crisis. The crisis was partly a result of economic mismanagement, a large debt burden, and a decline due to the pandemic.
