Sri Lanka
Despite being a Leftist, the JVP leader appears receptive to welcoming private and foreign investments.
His election manifesto talks of renegotiating, rather than scrapping, with the IMF the $2.9 billion bailout agreement.
What Mr. Dissanayake should not overlook is that he has to adopt a consensual path while implementing his economic policies and programmes.
It is also going to be challenging when it comes to the other facets of governance and how he will be able to ensure a “system change” as he has repeatedly attacked the present “corrupt political culture”.
The promise to hold elections to provincial councils — a tier of government that the JVP had once opposed — must be reassuring to Tamils.
In the area of foreign relations, Mr. Dissanayake, dubbed by his critics a “pro-China” leader, is expected to extend his pragmatism — he did visit India early this year.
His manifesto also mentions that Sri Lanka’s territory would not be allowed “to threaten or risk the national security of any country in the region including India”.
But it remains to be seen how the new President will translate into action his electoral promise of abolishing the current system of executive presidency, a matter that has refused to die down in the political discourse of the country for over 30 years.
Mr. Dissanayake, who will be assuming charge under not so comfortable conditions, requires understanding and cooperation from every section of Sri Lankan society. — https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/sri-lankas-verdict-on-the-ninth-presidential-election/article68671402.ece
