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Significance
The front runners are Gotabaya Rajapaksa, from the opposition Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), and Sajith Premadasa, from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP). The next elections to parliament, where no party or alliance currently has a majority, are due by end-2020.
Impacts
As president, Rajapaksa would be better able than Premadasa to negotiate the uncertain period between presidential and parliamentary polls.
Delhi and Beijing will quickly congratulate the victor, eager to demonstrate a wish for strong ties with the new administration.
Recent arrests in Malaysia of suspected sympathisers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will raise some security concerns in Sri Lanka.
Keywords:
Sri Lanka,
AP,
China,
India,
economy,
international relations,
politics,
constitution,
election,
ethnic,
government,
opposition,
party,
religion,
terrorism
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2019
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