Polls will matter greatly for Sri Lanka’s new leader

Significance

Dissanayake, leader of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, assumed office on September 23, after winning the September 21 presidential election. The JVP-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance had just three out of 225 seats in the dissolved legislature.

Impacts

• Dissanayake’s alliance will almost certainly improve considerably on its seat tally, even if it falls short of a majority.
• The president will aim to consolidate ties with all of Sri Lanka’s main partners, transcending his party’s traditional pro-China approach.
• Negotiations with the IMF will be a major preoccupation for the government in the months ahead.