Polls close in Sri Lanka's first election since economic crisis
Sri Lankans voted on September 21 to elect their next president, in what many see as a referendum on the unpopular International Monetary Fund (IMF) austerity measures imposed after the country’s historic economic collapse.
By 4:00 p.m. local time (1030 GMT), voter turnout had reached nearly 70%, according to provisional figures from the election commission. The AFP reports that this is lower than the record 83.72% turnout during the 2019 presidential election.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been in office for two years, is facing a tough battle to secure a fresh mandate. His government introduced a series of belt-tightening policies, including tax hikes, as part of a $2.9 billion IMF bailout that helped stabilise the economy and end shortages of essential goods.
"I've taken this country out of bankruptcy," Wickremesinghe, 75, said after casting his vote earlier in the day. "I will now deliver Sri Lanka a developed economy, social system, and political system."
However, the austerity measures have hit ordinary citizens hard, with many struggling to cope with rising costs of living. Wickremesinghe’s leadership helped restore calm after civil unrest in 2022, which saw protests and the ousting of his predecessor, but economic hardships remain a key issue for voters.
