Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new president

Sri Lanka’s newly elected president Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn as new president a day after being elected by parliament to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa who resigned following protests.

Wickremesinghe who has been prime Minister six times was serving as acting president after the resignation of Gotobaya.  He won a comfortable victory in parliament on Wednesday morning, where legislators voted for the new president in a secret ballot.

Wickremesinghe, faces a tough road ahead as Sri Lanka continues to be crippled by the worst economic crisis worsened by shortages of food and fuel. He faces a tough taks to earn the trust of protesters who burnt his home and demanded that he quit alongside the ousted President.

This was the first time a sitting president has been toppled midterm by a mass protest movement in Sri Lanka.