Unity government to be announced

SRI Lanka’s embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa pledged yesterday to give up most of his executive powers but stopped short of yielding to demands for his resignation over the country’s economic crisis.

The 72-year-old, in his first address to the nation since the start of a monthlong protest campaign calling on him to quit, said he would announce a unity government in the coming days.

He did not name the successor of his elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who stepped down as prime minister to clear the way for a new cabinet.

“I will work to give more powers to parliament and activate the key elements of the 19th amendment to the constitution,” he said, referring to democratic reforms he overturned soon after his 2019 election.

Rajapaksa’s pledge to reinstate the amendment would deprive him of the ability to control senior appointments to the public service, police, elections office and judiciary.

Sri Lanka has suffered months of blackouts and shortages of food, fuel and other goods after running out of foreign exchange to pay for imports.

Protesters have camped outside the president’s office in the capital Colombo for more than a month to press him into standing down.

A curfew is in effect after government loyalists attacked anti-Rajapaksa protesters on Monday, sparking reprisals by mobs.