Gotabaya Rajapaksa

For far too long Sri Lanka has been a stage with the Rajapaksas as the only meaningful actors. A democratic renewal may be all that can save the country in the long run.

The government is concerned about renewed protests against the unpopular former leader, while opposition figures worry Rajapaksa will try to find a way to re-enter politics.

While the government says it is willing to engage with the international community to seek closure of human rights issues, any solution should conform to the country's constitution.

If passed into law, the amendments would reinstate democratic reforms made in 2015 and then reversed in 2020 under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

He will remain in the post until Parliament elects a new president to serve out the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term, ending in 2024.

Public ire turns against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been appointed acting president.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised to step down, while Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would leave once a new government was in place.

The country needs a credible government that enjoys legitimacy in the eyes of the people. Forming one will be a herculean task.

Protesters had successfully demanded the prime minister’s resignation, but they want his brother gone from the presidency as well.

One member of the Sri Lankan diaspora reflects on the agony of watching his motherland lurch from crisis to crisis. 

The president's selection of Wickremesinghe a five-time former prime minister, is an attempt to end the violence and restore international credibility.