Sri Lanka Elects Anura Kumara Dissanayake as President in Historic Vote

Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been declared the winner of Sri Lanka's 2024 Presidential Election, securing 55.89% of the total vote (with preferential votes). This marks the first time the leftist leader has won the presidency, overcoming a crowded field of candidates in a highly polarized election.

This election, which went to a second round of preferential voting due to no candidate receiving a clear majority in the first round, saw Dissanayake steadily maintaining his lead. His final tally of 5,740,179 votes outpaced Premadasa's 4,530,902, confirming a decisive victory after the preferential votes were counted. Wickremesinghe, the sitting president, and Namal Rajapaksa, a member of Sri Lanka's most influential political family, both trailed far behind, signaling a shift away from traditional powerhouses.

First Round: No Clear Winner

Initial round results showed Dissanayake leading with 5,634,915 votes, capturing 42.31% of the first preference votes. Sajith Premadasa, leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), followed with 4,363,035 votes (32.76%). Incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe, garnered 2,299,767 votes (17.27%), and Namal Rajapaksa, received 342,781 votes (2.57%).

Despite Dissanayake's commanding lead, he was unable to surpass the 50%+1 vote threshold required for an outright victory, pushing the election into a second round of preferential voting.

Preferential Votes

With no clear majority in the first round, the election shifted to preferential votes. Dissanayake received 105,264, while Premadasa captured a more substantial share, with 167,867 votes Although Premadasa closed the gap slightly, it was not enough to overtake Dissanayake's lead.

Ultimately, Dissanayake ended up with a total of 5,740,179 votes (55.89%), while Premadasa finished with 4,530,902 (44.11%).

Political Landscape Shifts

This election has reshaped Sri Lanka’s political landscape. Dissanayake, representing the NPP which is an extension of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has consistently positioned himself as a champion of the working class, often railing against corruption and economic mismanagement. His victory signifies a broader shift toward more populist policies, reflecting public discontent with the established political order.

Key Figures Fall Short

The performance of Ranil Wickremesinghe and Namal Rajapaksa signals a fading influence for the United National Party (UNP) and the Rajapaksa family in national politics. Wickremesinghe, once a powerful political figure and former president, secured only 17.27% of the vote, far from the numbers he needed to be a serious contender.

Namal Rajapaksa, representing the next generation of the Rajapaksa dynasty, fared worse, earning just 2.57%. This result could indicate a growing desire among voters to move away from the politics of legacy families, which have dominated Sri Lanka for decades.