Sacked Sri Lanka PM Wickremasinghe wins confidence vote

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s former prime minister whose sacking in October by the president precipitated a political crisis won a confidence vote in Parliament on Wednesday.

Ranil Wickremesinghe received 117 votes in favour in the 225-member legislative body. The result is expected to increase pressure on President Maithripala Sirisena to reappoint Wickremesinghe as prime minister. Sirisena has vowed not to reappoint him despite criticism that his refusal violates the constitution.

“Today is a historic and monumental day in our political history as democracy triumphs over tyranny. A day when dictatorship will be defeated and overcome by democracy,” said lawmaker Sajith Premadasa, who presented the motion to Parliament.

He asked the president to respect the will of Parliament’s majority and reappoint Wickremesinghe.

After sacking Wickremesinghe on October 26, Sirisena appointed his former rival, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as prime minister. Sirisena had opposed Wickremesinghe’s economic policies and his efforts to investigate alleged abuses during Sri Lanka’s long civil war, which ended in 2009.

“I consider this as an important step towards defeating the unconstitutional steps taken from October 26,” Wickremesinghe told Parliament after Wednesday’s vote.

Wickremesinghe’s sacking precipitated bitter political bickering and a series of court battles.

Soon after being appointed PM, Rajapaksa sought to secure a majority in Parliament but failed. Sirisena dissolved Parliament and ordered new elections, but that move has been stayed by the Supreme Court.

Rajapaksa has been defeated twice in no-confidence motions in Parliament and also had his and his ministers’ finances cut by majority votes.

The no-confidence votes saw fighting between lawmakers, with Rajapaksa supporters occupying the speaker’s chair and throwing books and water mixed with chili powder to try to prevent a vote.