- Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has resigned after protesters stormed the president’s residence and office.
- Demonstrators are angry over the country’s deepening sovereign debt crisis.
- Protesters breached security barricades before breaching President Rajapaksa’s official residence.
After just two months in office, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced; his resignation after demonstrators stormed and besieged the president’s home; and office in response to mounting public outrage over the country’s escalating sovereign debt problem.
After an emergency conference of the country’s political party leaders to establish an interim; all-party government, Mr. Wickremesinghe, a seasoned politician serving his sixth term as prime minister, announced his resignation. He said on Twitter that by stepping down; he would “guarantee the continuance of the government, including the protection of all citizens.”
The political destiny of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also remained uncertain.
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One of the biggest anti-government protests in the nation this year took place on Saturday in Colombo; with protestors braving tear gas and water cannons as they reached the president’s office; while many were waving the national flag; and wearing helmets. Since March, there have been nearly daily; peaceful protests outside the office.
Despite only taking over as prime minister in May when Mahinda Rajapaksa; the president’s brother, resigned, Mr. Wickremesinghe had already been the target; of popular demands for his resignation.
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