Sri Lanka’s New President Appoints Third Female Prime Minister in Country’s History
In a historic move, Sri Lanka’s newly elected president has chosen a woman as the country’s prime minister for the third time ever.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced the appointment of former university lecturer-turned-MP Harini Amarasuriya as prime minister on Tuesday, also entrusting her with ministerial responsibilities for justice, education, and labor.
Both Dissanayake and Amarasuriya are members of the left-leaning National People’s Power alliance, which holds just three seats in the 225-seat parliament.
As speculation mounts over a possible parliamentary election in the near future, the remaining interim cabinet positions have been divided among the alliance’s two other MPs.
“We are set to have the smallest cabinet in Sri Lanka’s history,” said party member Namal Karunaratne during a press briefing on Tuesday, hinting at a potential dissolution of parliament within the next 24 hours.
Following his recent election victory, Dissanayake has vowed to dissolve parliament, citing the need for a government that aligns with the will of the people.
Dissanayake, known for his anti-corruption and anti-poverty policies, secured a surprising win in the country’s first election since its economic collapse in 2022, despite only receiving 3% of the vote in the 2019 presidential election.
Amarasuriya, who campaigned alongside Dissanayake in 2019 before winning a parliamentary seat the following year, began her career as a public activist in 2011 by participating in protests advocating for free education.
Throughout her tenure, the 54-year-old has been a vocal advocate for youth development, child protection, and gender equality, among other social justice causes.
As Sri Lanka’s 16th prime minister, Amarasuriya becomes the first academic to hold the position, following in the footsteps of just two other women in the country’s history. The last female prime minister served in 2000. — BBC
