Polling stations opened in on Saturday for the , which led to the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
More than 17 million people are expected to vote, with results anticipated by Sunday. Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0130 GMT) and are scheduled to close at 4 p.m.
Economic recovery has been the central issue of the campaign, with the government having restructured over $17 billion (€15.2 billion) of its debt.
The election is the first since Sri Lanka’s economy buckled in 2022 when it defaulted on its foreign debt, following a severe foreign exchange shortage.
Who are the main candidates competing?
Amid the 38 candidates competing in the presidential election, all eyes are on just three who have a high chance of success.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, the current president and member of the United National Party (UNP), is seeking re-election after stabilizing the economy with an International Monetary Fund austerity plan, though his popularity has waned due to the high cost of living.
“We must continue with reforms to end bankruptcy,” Wickremesinghe said at his final rally this week.
Sajith Premadasa, leader of the opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), promises to ease the burden on the poor. In the 2019 election, he finished second with 41.99% of the vote.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist candidate, presents himself as an alternative to the traditional system, attracting young voters with his promise to overhaul the country’s “corrupt” political landscape.
His party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), had staged two armed revolutions against the government in the 1970s and 1980s.
fmf,rmt (AFP, AP, Reuters)
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