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Sri Lanka economic crisis: 4 decisions taken at all-party meeting with Speaker
Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed to resign after party leaders in Parliament demanded both he and the embattled president step down
Dullas Alahapperuma, member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, said four key decisions were taken during the all-party meeting presided by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Saturday. Sri Lanka is mired in a deep political and economic crisis and on Saturday the country's president was forced to flee his residence not long before it was stormed by a huge crowd of protesters.
Months of protests have demanded the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose government has been blamed for chronic mismanagement of the country's finances.
The four key decisions agreed to by a majority of the party leaders are as follows:
“Participated in the Party Leaders meeting, presided by the Speaker. An overwhelming majority agreed to the following,” Alahapperuma tweeted.
1. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe must resign immediately.
2. Speaker Yapa Abeywardena to become the acting president.
3. Parliament must be convened within a week to elect a new president by Parliament majority.
4. In the same week, a coalition government must be formed representing all parties.
Significantly, prime minister Wickremesinghe agreed to resign after party leaders in Parliament demanded both he and the embattled president step down on the day protesters stormed the president's residence and office in a fury over a worsening economic crisis.
Wickremesinghe said in a voice statement that he will resign when all parties have agreed on a new government.
“Today in this country we have a fuel crisis, a food shortage, we have the head of the World Food Program coming here and we have several matters to discuss with the IMF. Therefore, if this government leaves there should be another government,” he said.
