Advertisement
‘Terminator’ Rajapaksa, brother of Sri Lanka’s China-friendly strongman, wins election
- Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, 70, whose brother Mahinda had close ties with Beijing during his 10-year rule, ran as the candidate for the Sri Lanka Podujana Party
- The Rajapaksas are adored by Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese majority, but detested and feared by many Tamils
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
The brother of a former president who tilted Sri Lanka toward a deep reliance on China clinched victory on Sunday in a tightly-fought presidential election, as voting showed the country remains divided down ethnic lines.
Advertisement
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa won 52.3 per cent of the votes, while ruling alliance candidate Sajith Premadasa had 42 per cent at the final count, according to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka. There were a record 35 candidates in the election.
Rajapaksa, 70, a former defence official whose brother, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa had close ties with Beijing during his 10-year rule, is revered by Sri Lanka’s ethnic majority for his role in ending a bloody civil war but feared by minorities for his brutal approach.
He secured his victory by capturing votes in Sinhala-Buddhist southern provinces, while Premadasa had large majorities in the Tamil-dominated north.
Advertisement
“It is my privilege to honour the decision of the people and congratulate Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his election as the seventh President of Sri Lanka,” Premadasa said, conceding defeat.
Advertisement