Wickremesinghe: Sri Lanka democracy under threat

Deposed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tells Al Jazeera that he believes the future of Sri Lanka’s democracy is at stake in the nation’s ongoing constitutional crisis.

Sri Lanka’s deposed prime minister has told Al Jazeera democracy in the country is under threat.

Ranil Wickremesinghe is refusing to quit after being fired last week by President Maithripala Sirisena.

He has been replaced with his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa – a two-time president who has been accused of an unconstitutional power grab.

And President Sirisena is so far resisting calls to recall Parliament so MPs can vote on new the prime minister.

AL Jazeera’s Bernard Smith reports from Colombo.

By Bernard Smith