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Sri Lanka prime minister declares victory after partial election results Sri Lanka's prime minister defeats former president Rajapaksa in elections
(about 2 hours later)
With election results still incomplete, Sri Lanka’s prime minister has declared victory over the country’s former strongman, who was seeking a political comeback eight months after losing the presidency. Sri Lanka’s prime minister has defeated the country’s former strongman in parliamentary elections, blocking his attempted political comeback eight months after he lost the presidency.
Ranil Wickremesinghe said a majority of the people had endorsed what he called his administration’s good governance and consensual politics in Monday’s parliamentary elections. “I offer my grateful thanks to all parties and individuals who worked untiringly during the election period to ensure victory for the people,” Wickremesinghe said in a statement. Official results on Tuesday showed Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National party won 93 out of 196 directly elected seats, while the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s United People’s Freedom Alliance secured 83.
Smaller parties won the remaining elected seats in Monday’s ballot. The elections commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya, will distribute 29 other seats according to the proportion of votes received nationally by each party to fill the 225-member parliament.
Rajapaksa was defeated by a former ally, Maithripala Sirisena, in the 8 January presidential election. A political party or a coalition must have at least 113 seats to be able to form a government.
Wickremesinghe earlier said a majority of the people had endorsed what he called his administration’s good governance and consensual politics. He said in a statement: “I offer my grateful thanks to all parties and individuals who worked untiringly during the election period to ensure victory for the people.”
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
Electoral authorities said the vote was orderly; however there were fears that if former president Mahinda Rajapaksa won a mandate to be prime minister it could trigger a prolonged power struggle with the current president, Maithripala Sirisena, who has said he will not appoint him regardless of the outcome. Sirisena defeated Rajapaksa to become president in a January 2015 election. Electoral authorities said the vote was orderly, but there were fears that if Rajapaksa won a mandate to be the prime minister, it could have triggered a prolonged power struggle with Sirisena.
“My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksa initially told the Agence France-Presse news agency on Monday night as results came in. “I am conceding. We have lost a good fight.” Rajapaksa had told Agence France-Presse on Monday night as the results came in: “My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away. I am conceding. We have lost a good fight.”
But speaking later to the Reuters news agency he was less definite, saying only that he was unlikely to lead the next government. 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.
In results released so far, Rajapaksa’s United People’s Freedom Alliance had won 61 of 225 seats, while Wickremesinghe’s United National Party had received 59. Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka’s president for nine years. He was seeking a return to politics as the prime minister, a position second only to the president, but Sirisena had vowed not to appoint him prime minister even if he won a majority.
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. Any party or coalition must win at least 113 seats to form a government. Observers said results for the seats still to be announced are expected to favour Wickremesinghe.
Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka’s president for nine years until his 8 January election defeat to former Sirisena. He is seeking a political comeback as prime minister, a position second only to the president. However, Sirisena has vowed not to appoint him prime minister even if he secures a majority.
If Wickremesinghe does not secure an outright majority, some Sirisena loyalists within Rajapaksa’s party are likely to join a coalition government.
A prime minister acts for the president when he is absent and replaces him if he is impeached, incapacitated or dies. The president has wide executive powers and usually holds the defence, foreign relations and sometimes finance portfolios. The prime minister heads lawmaking and has some governance powers.A prime minister acts for the president when he is absent and replaces him if he is impeached, incapacitated or dies. The president has wide executive powers and usually holds the defence, foreign relations and sometimes finance portfolios. The prime minister heads lawmaking and has some governance powers.
Sirisena defected from Rajapaksa’s government and formed an alliance with Wickremesinghe to defeat Rajapaksa in the presidential election. After earlier reports that he had conceded defeat, Rajapaksa said in a tweet that he would wait until the official results are out before making a statement. Sirisena defected from Rajapaksa’s government and formed an alliance with Wickremesinghe to defeat his former colleague in the presidential election.
Since his presidential loss, there has been a sharp reversal of fortune for Rajapaksa, his family and friends, who were once all-powerful controllers of the island nation. Some now face investigations or lawsuits on allegations of corruption, misuse of power and even murder. Since his presidential loss, there has been a sharp reversal of fortune for Rajapaksa, his family and friends, who were once all-powerful controllers of the island nation. Some now face investigations or lawsuits on allegations of corruption, misuse of power and murder.
The elections commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya, said Monday’s elections were incident-free, other than some minor complaints. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said 35 people were arrested countrywide for election law violations. Deshapriya said Monday’s elections were incident-free, other than some minor complaints. Ruwan Gunasekara, a police spokesman, said 35 people were arrested countrywide for election law violations.
Rajapaksa was hailed a warrior king for defeating Tamil Tiger separatists to end a nearly 26-year civil war. But he is accused of using his popularity to take control of parliament, the courts, the armed forces and all government institutions. He was also accused of widespread human rights abuses and of suppressing freedoms. Rajapaksa was hailed a warrior king for defeating Tamil Tiger separatists to end a 26-year civil war. But he is accused of using his popularity to take control of parliament, the courts, the armed forces and all government institutions. He was also accused of widespread human rights abuses and of suppressing freedoms.
Rajapaksa had been seeking to prolong his rule after abolishing a two-term limit for presidents when he lost in his attempt to win a third term.Rajapaksa had been seeking to prolong his rule after abolishing a two-term limit for presidents when he lost in his attempt to win a third term.