Since the executive presidency came into play in Sri Lanka, no President has ever resigned his office till Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to do so by the people on the 13th of July. A week later, on the 20th of July, the Acting President and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected the President. He will serve out the remainder of Gotabaya’s term – that is till 2024.

Given the mood of the people, will Mr. Wickremesinghe be able to steer Sri Lanka out of its current economic mess? It’s evident that he enjoys the support of the Rajapaksa clan and their political outfit. He also has years of administrative experience as Prime Minister. Can he deliver?

Guest: Ambika Satkunanathan, human rights practitioner and Chairperson of the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust.

Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor and former Sri Lanka Correspondent, The Hindu

Edited by Ranjani Srinivasan

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What does Ranil Wickremesinghe's election as President mean for Sri Lanka? | In Focus