Wickremesinghe elected new president in crisis-hit Sri Lanka

Army soldiers patrol outside the Parliament building in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Sri Lanka's Parliament is voting by secret ballot Wednesday for a new president to lead the country out of a deep political, economic and humanitarian crisis. [AP]

Sri Lankan lawmakers chose six-time Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as president Wednesday to succeed the ousted leader who fled the country in a vote that risks reigniting political turmoil in the troubled South Asian island nation.

He said he has spent 45 years of his life in Parliament and is happy it has given him the honor of becoming president. “I need not tell you the status our country is in. Now that the election is over we have to end this division. We had 48 hours to stay divided but from now on I am ready to have a dialogue with you,” he said, asking other political parties to work with him.