This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/18/mahinda-rajapakse-concedes-defeat-in-sri-lanka-elections

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat in Sri Lanka elections Sri Lanka election: Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes unlikely to be PM
(about 4 hours later)
Related: Stakes are high for Mahinda Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka heads to the pollsRelated: Stakes are high for Mahinda Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka heads to the polls
Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has conceded defeat in parliamentary elections but said he would work as an opposition member of the legislature. Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa at first conceded defeat but later rowed back, saying instead that he was unlikely to be prime minister, as figures began to come in following parliamentary elections on Monday night.
“My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksatold the Agence France-Presse news agency. “I am conceding. We have lost a good fight.” Electoral authorities said the vote was orderly; however there were fears that if Rajapaksa won a mandate to be prime minister it could trigger a prolonged power struggle with the president, Maithripala Sirisena, who has said he will not appoint him regardless of the outcome.
Rajapaksa accepted that his United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) had lost even before the elections chief could announce the final results. Sirisena defeated Rajapaksa to become president in a January 2015 election. “My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksa initially told the Agence France-Presse news agency on Monday night. “I am conceding. We have lost a good fight.”
“We have won eight districts and the UNP [ruling United National party] has 11 [out of a total of 22],” Rajapakse said. “This means we have lost. It was a difficult fight.” But speaking later to the Reuters news agency he was less definite, saying only that he was unlikely to lead the next government.
Official figures showed the same breakdown of results. Sri Lanka has a mixed electoral structure that includes multiple-member districts using proportional representation, as well as a “list” system that gives each party extra parliamentary seats based on their vote across the whole country.
The remaining three districts were dominated by a minority Tamil party, officials said, adding that no party was set to secure an absolute majority of 113 seats in the 225-member parliament following Monday’s election. There are 225 members, so any party or coalition must win at least 113 seats to form a government.
The elections commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya, said he expected the release of the final party positions by midday on Tuesday while individual votes garnered by candidates would be announced later.The elections commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya, said he expected the release of the final party positions by midday on Tuesday while individual votes garnered by candidates would be announced later.
Rajapaksa did secure a seat in the 225-member parliament by standing in the north-western district of Kurunegala, after ditching his home constituency of Hambantota.Rajapaksa did secure a seat in the 225-member parliament by standing in the north-western district of Kurunegala, after ditching his home constituency of Hambantota.
When he cast his ballot on Monday he expressed confidence that he could return to power as Sri Lanka’s prime minister after losing the presidency in a January 2015 election. When he cast his ballot on Monday he had expressed confidence that he could return to power as Sri Lanka’s prime minister after losing the presidency in a January 2015 election.
Deshapriya said the vote, called a year ahead of schedule by President Maithripala Sirisena, had been one of the most peaceful in Sri Lanka’s history.Deshapriya said the vote, called a year ahead of schedule by President Maithripala Sirisena, had been one of the most peaceful in Sri Lanka’s history.
Since his surprise victory over his former mentor Sirisena has struggled to impose his authority over his UPFA party and was powerless to prevent Rajapaksa from standing as one of its candidates.Since his surprise victory over his former mentor Sirisena has struggled to impose his authority over his UPFA party and was powerless to prevent Rajapaksa from standing as one of its candidates.
Rajapaksa received 47.58% of the vote in January’s presidential elections, beaten by former ally Sirisena, who was supported by the then opposition United National Party (UNP). Sirisena is actually a member of the UPFA.Rajapaksa received 47.58% of the vote in January’s presidential elections, beaten by former ally Sirisena, who was supported by the then opposition United National Party (UNP). Sirisena is actually a member of the UPFA.
Sirisena last month said his party was set to lose the upcoming elections and blamed Rajapaksa, saying his predecessor could not get the support of minority Tamils and Muslims crucial to winning the 17 August vote.Sirisena last month said his party was set to lose the upcoming elections and blamed Rajapaksa, saying his predecessor could not get the support of minority Tamils and Muslims crucial to winning the 17 August vote.
“There is a wave sweeping all over the world against corruption. I told him that educated people, the middle classes, expect me to bring good governance and you are lacking in that area. So please don’t come forward at this election,” Sirisena told Rajapaksa.“There is a wave sweeping all over the world against corruption. I told him that educated people, the middle classes, expect me to bring good governance and you are lacking in that area. So please don’t come forward at this election,” Sirisena told Rajapaksa.
Related: Torture of Tamil detainees in Sri Lanka has continued, says charityRelated: Torture of Tamil detainees in Sri Lanka has continued, says charity
The new president appointed then opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister of a minority government.The new president appointed then opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister of a minority government.
Wickremesinghe is the prime ministerial candidate in the parliamentary elections for the UNP, which has also secured the support of a broad coalition that backed Sirisena in January. He is expected to be sworn in again to form a new government shortly, officials said.Wickremesinghe is the prime ministerial candidate in the parliamentary elections for the UNP, which has also secured the support of a broad coalition that backed Sirisena in January. He is expected to be sworn in again to form a new government shortly, officials said.
Speaking after he voted in Colombo, Wickremesinghe told reporters that he was confident of forming a new government that could “consolidate the January 8 revolution.”Speaking after he voted in Colombo, Wickremesinghe told reporters that he was confident of forming a new government that could “consolidate the January 8 revolution.”
Wickremesinghe described Monday’s vote as a referendum on whether the 15m-strong electorate wanted Rajapaksa to return to politics after a decade in power.Wickremesinghe described Monday’s vote as a referendum on whether the 15m-strong electorate wanted Rajapaksa to return to politics after a decade in power.
Sirisena recently sent a letter to Rajapaksa, which he also released to the media, saying he would not appoint him prime minister even if he secured a majority in parliament. In a move on Monday to weaken Rajapaksa, Sirisena suspended several Rajapaksa loyalists from his party’s executive committee.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report