Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to face 38 challengers in the upcoming polls, according to the election commission, which announced the close of nominations on Thursday. Leading the charge is former ally and now rival Sajith Premadasa. This marks the first election since Wickremesinghe assumed office two years ago, following the ousting of former strongman president Gotabaya Rajapaksa due to widespread protests over an economic crisis. The economy continues to be a major concern.
At 75, Wickremesinghe is up against a formidable challenge from 57-year-old career politician Premadasa, the opposition's parliamentary leader, and leftist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, 55, whose National People's Power (NPP) coalition is favored by the youth. The race, initially a three-way contest, grew more complex when the influential Rajapaksa family withdrew their support for Wickremesinghe in favor of one of their own, Namal Rajapaksa, a 38-year-old MP and son of former president and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The election, scheduled for September 21, will see a record 39 candidates vying for the presidency in the South Asian majority Buddhist nation of approximately 22 million people. None of the candidates are women. Election Commission chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake emphasized the importance of adhering to election laws in a televised address, warning against influencing public officers for illegal campaign activities. Election law violations are prevalent in Sri Lanka, though prosecutions are rare.
Wickremesinghe has distanced himself from his right-wing United National Party (UNP) to run as an independent candidate, seeking broader support. The 2019 presidential election, which saw 35 candidates, was won by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was subsequently forced out in 2022 due to economic mismanagement. Wickremesinghe was elected by parliament in July 2022 to complete Rajapaksa's term. Over 17 million citizens are eligible to vote, with results expected within a day of the election, and the new president must take office within two weeks.
