Inside Story

Is democracy in Sri Lanka in danger?

Political crisis deepens as President Maithripala Sirisena dissolves parliament and calls for snap elections.

Sri Lanka‘s President Maithripala Sirisena has been accused of violating the country’s constitution.

In late October, he sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as the prime minister and replaced him with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, triggering an intense power struggle.

Now, Sirisena has dissolved parliament and called for snap elections, to be held in January 2019.

During all this time, Wickremesinghe has refused to leave the prime minister’s residence.

The president’s opponents are set to challenge his actions at the supreme court on Monday.

What effect will this have on Sri Lanka’s stability?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Xiudong Jia – researcher on Asia Pacific affairs and senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies

Rajiva Wijesinha – former Sri Lankan government official

Charu Hogg – associate fellow at the Asia Programme at Chatham House