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President Rajapaksa had been facing months of sustained protests calling for him to step down from power but he had repeatedly refused.
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Rajapaksa has been president since November 2019 and, alongside five other members of his family who held senior political posts, stands accused of corruption, bankrupting the country and triggering the worst economic crisis since independence. Many of the protesters who have been demonstrating against President Rajapaksa are not supportive of many of the MPs, who they view as still part of the political establishment that caused Sri Lanka’s downfall. They could also face issues of public legitimacy. However, whoever takes over the running of the country faces a difficult road ahead, with Sri Lanka’s economic woes showing no sign of relenting, and warnings that the fuel and food shortages could worsen. The unity government is likely to be only a temporary measure until parliamentary elections can be held. Wimal Weerawansa, a MP who was formerly with the ruling party but broke away as the country’s economy collapsed, said that the opposition parties had “agreed in principle to form a government of unity with all parties’ participation for an interim period.” Discussions were said to be still continuing about who will be the new prime minister and president. But troops simply watched from afar as crowds of people splashed in the garden pool of Rajapaksa’s sprawling residence, lounged on beds and took selfies of themselves on their mobile phones to capture the moment. Soldiers were deployed around the city and the chief of defence staff, Shavendra Silva, called for public support to maintain law and order.