Following Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation, prompted by the protest of thousands of citizens, the Sri Lankan Parliament will elect a new president on July 20 to lead the Asian nation on an interim basis.
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Sri Lankan President Confirms His Resignation After Protests
Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane said in a statement that there would be a parliamentary session on July 15 and a vote will be held on July 20 to elect Rajapaksa's replacement.
The nominations to elect the next president will be presented on July 19. This Monday, the main parties with parliamentary representation met to seek a government of national unity.
Under the Sri Lankan Constitution, in case both the Presidency and the office of the Prime Minister become vacant, Parliament must elect within 30 days one of its representatives as Acting President, who may complete the remaining two years of the term.
High indebtedness, militarization, fuel shortages, and legislative majorities were some of the reasons why the people of Sri Lanka took over the government palace to demand the resignation of the President they elected in 2019.
Elected at the end of 2019, Rajapaksa announced his resignation last Saturday after a mass protest triggered by the country's severe economic crisis ended with the storming of the presidential residence.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, Rajapaksa's resignation will be effective July 13.