Who is Sri Lanka's next president Anura Kumara Dissanayake?

In the 2019 elections, Anura Kumara Dissanayake's party got just 3% of the votes. But the left-leaning, science graduate is now Sri Lanka's next president.

The election marks the first major political contest since the island nation plunged into its worst economic crisis in 2022.

A man reads a newspaper with a front page picture of Sri Lanka's Marxist-leaning leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake who grabbed a commanding early lead in his bid to become the next president, a day after voting ended for the presidential election, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, September 22, 2024. Reuters

Dissanayake likely to seek fresh mandate

55-year-old Dissanayake, known as AKD, has built a political career over three decades. He began his journey with the People’s Liberation Front (JVP), a party that played a controversial role in two violent uprisings in the 1970s and 1980s.

The party has since distanced itself from its violent past, embracing electoral democracy. In May 2014, Dissanayake apologised for the party’s past crimes in a BBC interview after being appointed its leader, the first and last apology due to internal criticism.

Over time, he steered the JVP toward mainstream democratic politics, gaining support among youth and working-class voters who were frustrated with Sri Lanka’s established political elite.

Dissanayake is the leader of both the JVP and the National People's Power (NPP). A vocal advocate for change, he has promised to overhaul what he calls Sri Lanka's "corrupt political culture." After casting his vote on Saturday, he reiterated this vision, stating, "Our country needs a new political culture."

His party has historically favored stronger state control and more restrictive economic policies, according to Reuters.

During his campaign, Dissanayake pledged to dissolve parliament within 45 days to seek a fresh mandate for his reforms. He also committed to renegotiating the terms of the $2.9 billion IMF bailout that Wickremesinghe secured last year after the country defaulted on its foreign debt.

"We are seeking a new mandate from the public to renegotiate with the IMF. We believe they will respect the will of the people," he told an Indian magazine in the lead-up to the elections.

Dissanayake's platform has resonated with many Sri Lankans, who blame the political establishment for mishandling the country’s economy, resulting in widespread shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. The country is still recovering from the economic collapse that led to mass protests and the ousting of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in mid-2022.

Part of Anura Kumara Dissanayake's appeal is his middle-class roots - he was born in the village of Thambuttegama in Anuradhapura district, which is located around 170 km from the capital Colombo.

If successful, Dissanayake’s presidency could mark a significant shift in Sri Lankan politics.

Treading a cautious foreign policy path

The world will be looking at how Sri Lanka deals with China and India.

Colombo's indebtedness to Beijing contributed to the island nation's economic collapse in 2022, some analysts say. Sri Lanka was also among the first non-communist countries to recognize the People's Republic of China.

Writing for The Diplomat, journalist and researcher Rathindra Kuruwita says it is uncertain which candidate China favors.

"Colombo’s political circles are quite aware of which candidates the U.S. and India would prefer. While India is believed to be backing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, the Americans prefer President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is contesting the election as an independent candidate."

In February 2024, Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited India on New Delhi's invitation, meeting with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval. But there are fears in India, that the JVP's Marxist past indicates a China leaning.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been more cautious speaking to the Indian media, although he promised to scrap a wind power project funded by the Indian business tycoon Gautam Adani, who is believed to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a stump speech.

"It is well known that there is competition between India and China in our region. India, being a country in the Indian Ocean, understands the strategic significance of our region’s political and economic positions. Meanwhile, China is actively working to consolidate its economic and political influence here, and we are aware of this as well. Our approach will be to safeguard regional security while leveraging economic opportunities to our advantage," he told Indian magazine The Week.