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Sri Lanka's new president may struggle to form government

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AP Colombo
Last Updated : Nov 20 2019 | 1:15 AM IST

Sri Lanka's newly elected president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, may struggle to consolidate his victory.

With many executive powers clipped and the opposition in control of a powerful Parliament, it's unclear when and how Rajapaksa will be able to form a government.

Rajapaksa is credited with helping end the country's long civil war and is revered as a hero by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. He comfortably won Saturday's presidential election with about 52% of the ballots. But minorities largely voted for his opponent, fearing Rajapaksa because of allegations of wartime human rights violations against him.

Rajapaksa said at his swearing-in on Monday that he would form his own government. But that depends on whether Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe steps aside.

A 2015 constitutional amendment curtails the powers of the presidency.

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First Published: Nov 20 2019 | 1:15 AM IST

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