Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka is expected to step down
Key Takeaways:
- In the face of the island nation's growing economic crisis and the imposition of a state of emergency, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has accepted to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's request to resign.
- According to the Sri Lankan Cabinet, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked to resign after failing to address the country's severe economic woes.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has agreed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's request to resign in the face of the island nation's increasing economic crisis and the installation of a state of emergency.
According to sources, Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed to quit as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at a special cabinet meeting at the President's House led by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, according to the Colombo Page.
PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked to retire after failing to address the country's persistent economic problems, according to the Sri Lankan Cabinet. The Cabinet will be dissolved as a result of his leaving. Furthermore, Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated that he is willing to resign if that is the only way to settle Sri Lanka's ongoing economic problems.
Meanwhile, according to the Colombo Page, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has admitted that managing the country's economic and political problems has become a significant problem amid widespread public protests. He went on to say that the issue had caused a lack of tourists in the country. Furthermore, factory closures added to the strain of already existing economic problems.
According to political sources, Sri Lankan Cabinet ministers Prasanna Ranatunga, Nalaka Godahewa, and Ramesh Pathirana have all agreed on Mahinda Rajapaksa's decision to step down as Prime Minister. Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake, in contrast to the Cabinet ministers, has declared that Mahinda's resignation will be fruitless in dealing with the country's crisis.
According to the Colombo Page, political insiders also indicate that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will announce his resignation in a special announcement on Monday, followed by a cabinet change the following week.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is experiencing severe food and power shortages, requiring it to seek assistance from its neighbors. Foreign exchange problems caused by a tourism ban during the COVID-19 pandemic are blamed for the slump. The country cannot purchase sufficient fuel and gas, and its citizens are without necessities.
The economic condition has sparked widespread protests, with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as well as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa being called to quit.