After mass protests, Sri Lanka is expected to elect a new president next week

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who oversaw the crackdown on insurgents when he was defense secretary, is expected to resign on Wednesday. His brothers and nephew previously resigned as ministers as Sri Lanka began to run short of fuel, food and other essentials in its worst crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.

Radio Free Europe writes that the parliament will meet on Friday and five days later will elect the new president, said the Speaker of the Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

“During the meeting of the leaders that was held today, they agreed that this is necessary to ensure a government where all parties would participate, respecting the Constitution”. he said through a statement.

“The ruling party has said that the prime minister and the cabinet are ready to resign and appoint a comprehensive government”. he added.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose private home was burned by protesters, has said he will resign. His office has confirmed plans to resign, adding that the cabinet will resign as soon as agreement is reached on the formation of an inclusive government.

Protest leaders have said they will occupy the president’s and prime minister’s residences in Colombo until they resign.

Police said they have received about $50,000 that was found by protesters at the president’s residence on Saturday.

The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, has called for a peaceful transition of the Government and “durable solutions” for the current economic crisis.

For months, Sri Lanka has been facing shortages of food, fuel and medicine, and the unrest came to a head on Saturday when protesters stormed the presidential residence.

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