Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Resigns

Sri Lanka’s prime minister resigned on May 16th, shortly following confrontations in the commercial hub of Colombo between pro- and anti-government demonstrators. The country’s most significant economic crisis, which has sparked thousands of protests and weeks of extraordinary demonstrations across the island nation of 22 million people, saw protesters demanding that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, resign for mismanaging the economy.

A statement from the prime minister’s office mentioned that the Mahinda Rajapaksa had resigned. In the resignation letter Reuters obtained, the prime minister stated that he was stepping down to help establish an interim unity government. “Multiple stakeholders have indicated the best solution to the present crisis is the formation of an interim all-party government,” the letter said. “Therefore, I have tendered my resignation so the next steps can be taken in accordance with the Constitution.”

Anger over how President Gotabaya Rajapaksa handled the mounting economic crisis degenerated into violence late on the 12th, with hundreds of protestors clashing with police for several hours. Due to a significant lack of foreign money, Rajapaksa’s government has been unable to pay for essential imports, such as fuel, resulting in power outages lasting up to 13 hours. After the country depreciated its currency last month ahead of talks with the International Monetary Fund for a loan program, ordinary Sri Lankans also suffered from shortages and rising inflation. The resulting economic crisis is the worst in decades. According to many critics, its foundation is economic mismanagement by successive governments, which established and maintained a dual deficit – a budget deficit and a current account deficit.

Sri Lanka’s non-electoral changes represent the increased pressure the public has been putting upon the governing system. The populace’s rising discontent and the severity of the economic crisis have pushed many, understandably, to demand reform in any way possible. Perhaps the prime minister’s resignation is an indication of how gravely the country needs change.

As news of Prime Minister Rajapaksa’s resignation spread across Sri Lanka, many protestors expressed glee. Demonstrators have been demanding that the Rajapaksa family, who have ruled for decades on and off, resign for weeks. However, this is only a partial win: the protestors’ true objective is the president. Until that Rajapaksa shows signs of giving up, the demonstrations will likely continue.

Related