On a day of dramatic rallies, both the president and prime minister of Sri Lanka resigned, prompting opposition parties to convene on Sunday to agree on a new administration.
Infuriated by food and fuel shortages, demonstrators invaded the official mansions and set one of them on fire.
Protesters have declared that they will remain till a new administration is constituted.
The location of the president is unknown, but according to a statement from his office, Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered the prompt distribution of a cooking gas shipment to the public, indicating he was still at work.
The city was surrounded by soldiers, and the head of defense staff, Shavendra Silva, asked for popular support to maintain order.
Troops merely observed from a distance as thousands of visitors splashed in the garden pool of Rajapaksa’s enormous mansion, lounged on beds, and took photographs to commemorate the occasion.
Residents of the official residence of the prime minister cooked in an outside kitchen played the popular tabletop game carrom and slept on sofas.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara, a senior member of the main opposition United People’s Force, stated that separate negotiations were held with other parties and politicians who defected from Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition and that other meetings were scheduled.
He did not indicate when an agreement may be achieved, even though it was anticipated to be finalized on Sunday.
M. A. Sumanthiran, another opposition politician, stated earlier that all opposition parties could easily amass the 113 members required to demonstrate a majority in Parliament, at which point they would request Rajapaksa to install the new administration and then quit.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that he will resign once a new administration is in place, and hours later, the speaker of Parliament announced that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would resign on Wednesday.
As a result of the economic collapse, which caused severe shortages of food, fuel, and other essentials, the pressure on both men increased.
According to the constitution, if both the president and prime minister resign, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena will serve as interim president.
In May, Rajapaksa nominated Wickremesinghe as prime minister to eliminate shortages and initiate economic recovery.
Wickremesinghe had participated in vital discussions with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package and with the World Food Program to prepare for an anticipated food crisis.
In August, the government must present to the IMF a debt sustainability plan before striking an agreement.
According to analysts, it is unlikely that a new leader could outperform Wickremesinghe.
Sunday saw the arrival of cooking gas orders, as well as the distribution of much-needed fertilizer to farmers in preparation for the new growing season. This demonstrated the success of his administration’s efforts.
“This type of unrest could confuse international organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank,” said political analyst Ranga Kalansooriya, adding that a new administration should agree on a common economic recovery program.
He stated that while Wickremesinghe was moving on the right path, his administration was not developing a long-term plan to complement its emphasis on tackling daily issues.
It is unlikely that an all-party government will agree to economic reforms backed by the IMF without the political support of some parties.
Even though Wickremesinghe and Abeywardena, the parliament speaker, stated in their speeches that they had spoken with the president, neither of them disclosed his location.
During the chaos on Saturday, protesters also broke into the residence of the prime minister and set it ablaze.
A party official, Ruwan Wijewardena, reported that Wickremesinghe was inside the building when the demonstrators gathered, but that security personnel relocated him to a different place.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Washington was monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka and urged Parliament to enact remedies and address the unhappiness of the people as soon as possible.
Sri Lanka relies on assistance from India and other countries as its officials negotiate a bailout with the IMF.
Recently, Wickremesinghe stated that negotiations with the IMF were difficult because Sri Lanka is currently bankrupt.
Due to a foreign currency shortfall, Sri Lanka stated in April that it was halting the repayment of international debts. Its total foreign debt is $51 billion, of which $28 billion must be repaid by the end of 2027.
Months of protests have nearly toppled the Rajapaksa political dynasty, which has ruled Sri Lanka for the majority of the previous two decades but is accused of incompetence and corruption by demonstrators.
In May, the president’s older brother resigned as prime minister after fleeing to a naval post to avoid violent protests. Eventually, he moved into a home in Colombo.
