Sri Lanka gears up for 2024 presidential election amidst economic challenges

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Sri Lanka is preparing to vote on Saturday to elect its 10th president in the first election since the country’s 2022 economic crisis, which forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took over after Rajapaksa's resignation and has been working to stabilize the economy, is seeking re-election.

Wickremesinghe faces challenges from key candidates Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party and Sajith Premadasa from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party. Polls suggest Dissanayake could be leading the race.

The primary issues at stake for voters are the economy and the aftermath of the 2022 crisis. While economic indicators have improved under Wickremesinghe, critics say the IMF bailout and other measures have led to higher taxes and inflation. Both Premadasa and Dissanayake have promised economic reforms to ease the burden on citizens.

The election will be closely watched as Sri Lankans head to the polls, with over 17 million registered voters.