Sri Lanka began its parliamentary elections on Thursday, two months after the election of the country’s first left-wing president. This election is seen as a key opportunity for his coalition to secure a strong mandate to push forward with its reform promises.
Polling stations in Colombo opened at 07:00 local time (01:30 GMT) for the country’s 17 million registered voters, with voting set to close at 16:00. The first results are expected to be announced on Friday.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 55, was elected president in September, during a time when Sri Lanka was grappling with its worst economic crisis. His government has implemented severe austerity measures, and Dissanayake has committed to reducing taxes on essential goods and tackling corruption.
However, the coalition led by his party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), holds only three out of the 225 seats in the current parliament, making this election critical for Dissanayake’s ability to secure the legislative support needed to carry out his reform agenda.
