COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will definitely seek re-election in the presidential election and will announce his candidacy in the next two weeks, a senior government minister said on Monday.
"I can definitely say that the president will contest the election," said Harin Fernando, tourism minister and a close aide of Wickremesinghe.
The island nation's election commission said earlier this month that presidential elections would be held between September 17 and October 16.
The ruling Sri Lanka People's Front, commonly known by its Sinhala name Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), which holds the current parliamentary majority, had pressured Wickremesinghe to call parliamentary elections before the presidential election.
Wickremesinghe, 75, has not yet declared his candidacy despite the announcement of two other main opposition leaders: Sajith Premadasa, the main opposition leader, and Marxist JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.Fernando said Wickremesinghe would announce his candidacy within the next two weeks.
Wickremesinghe, from arch-rival party the United National Party (UNP), succeeded SLPP-elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president for the remainder of Rajapaksa's term after the island nation first declared international default during street protests. After Rajapaksa was ousted. Run between April and July 2022.
Rajapaksa accepted demands for his resignation due to his inability to deal with the unprecedented economic crisis.
Some members of the SLPP have turned to Wickremesinghe supporters, while the party has also formed other political units, dividing other members.The Rajapaksa administration declared Sri Lanka's first sovereign default as foreign currency shortages led to long queues for essential goods and fuel.
Since taking power, Wickremesinghe has kept the economy safe by securing an IMF bailout. However, analysts believe that Sri Lanka is still not completely out of the crisis.
"I can definitely say that the president will contest the election," said Harin Fernando, tourism minister and a close aide of Wickremesinghe.
The island nation's election commission said earlier this month that presidential elections would be held between September 17 and October 16.
The ruling Sri Lanka People's Front, commonly known by its Sinhala name Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), which holds the current parliamentary majority, had pressured Wickremesinghe to call parliamentary elections before the presidential election.
Wickremesinghe, 75, has not yet declared his candidacy despite the announcement of two other main opposition leaders: Sajith Premadasa, the main opposition leader, and Marxist JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.Fernando said Wickremesinghe would announce his candidacy within the next two weeks.
Wickremesinghe, from arch-rival party the United National Party (UNP), succeeded SLPP-elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president for the remainder of Rajapaksa's term after the island nation first declared international default during street protests. After Rajapaksa was ousted. Run between April and July 2022.
Rajapaksa accepted demands for his resignation due to his inability to deal with the unprecedented economic crisis.
Some members of the SLPP have turned to Wickremesinghe supporters, while the party has also formed other political units, dividing other members.The Rajapaksa administration declared Sri Lanka's first sovereign default as foreign currency shortages led to long queues for essential goods and fuel.
Since taking power, Wickremesinghe has kept the economy safe by securing an IMF bailout. However, analysts believe that Sri Lanka is still not completely out of the crisis.
