Marxist Dissayanake Sworn in as Sri Lankan President After Election Victory

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, whose Marxist-leaning National People’s Power coalition won Sri Lanka’s election on Saturday, has been sworn in as the 10th president of Sri Lanka. Dissanayake, 55, defeated incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and 36 other candidates. Wickremesinghe’s uncle J. R. Jayewardene was a former president and prime minister, Premadasa was the son of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa—who was assassinated—and another candidate was the eldest son of two-time president Mahinda Rajapaksa. ‘Family Power … Defeated’ At his final rally on Wednesday, Dissanayake said, “There are people who think their family power will win this election but on Sept. 21, that family power, financial power, media power and state power will be defeated by people’s power.”...