Sri Lanka to hold presidential election on Sept 21

The Sri Lanka election commission on Friday announced that the country’s presidential election would be held on September 21.

It will likely be a test of confidence in President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s efforts to resolve the country’s worst economic crisis. 

The independent election commission said nominations will be accepted on Aug. 15. 

The election will be the first test of the public mood since the height of the 2022 downturn, which caused months of food, fuel and medicine shortages across the island nation. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 75, who took office after street protests forced his predecessor to flee the country, has strongly hinted he plans to run. 

He will face at least two rivals campaigning against austerity measures his government imposed to satisfy an International Monetary Fund bailout package.