Uditha Jayasinghe & Alasdair Pa

COLOMBO (Reuters – Ranil Wickremesinghe has been a political veteran since his appointment as Sri Lanka’s prime minister.

It is the sixth consecutive time that the opposition lawmaker holds the office. He is well-known domestically for being a skilled operator. His daunting task now is to lead the country out its worst economic crisis in independence.

Wickremesinghe, the leader of the United National Party (UNP) opposition was inducted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during a ceremony held at the presidential house on Thursday.

Mahinda Rajapaksa was the brother of the president and resigned in Monday’s street demonstrations, leading to more deaths this week.

Wickremesinghe stated that “we are in a crisis” and advised Reuters that he was leaving a temple outside Colombo’s main city shortly after his swearing. He replied, “Absolutely” when asked whether there is a solution.

There are many protestors calling on both Rajapaksas, the dominant political dynasty of the island nation to step down. It is not clear if Wickremesinghe will suffice to calm them.

This week saw nine deaths and over 300 injuries in mob violence. Additionally, property owned by the Rajapaksas or their political allies was vandalized.

Wickremesinghe faces another challenge: unifying a divided parliament in order to address soaring inflation, dwindling foreign reserve that has left fuel and certain medicines out of stock.

Dinouk Colombage is UNP’s media secretary and also a member on the party’s working committee.

He is not a stranger to dealing economically and politically with difficult situations, as he has done it multiple times.

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Wickremesinghe married an academic in 1995. He is part of a distinguished family that includes politicians, businessmen, and has a strong interest in media.

His name has already been in the news.

His uncle President Junius Jayewardene made him the youngest minister in the country at 29 years old. After several senior party members were assassinated, he was elected party leader.

He has little support from the wealthy, unlike Mahinda Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe, the UNP’s only lawmaker is in the country’s 225-seat parliament.

This economic liberal has already had experience with IMF, and is now in talks to rescue Sri Lanka. During his time as prime minister, Sri Lanka had its last IMF program in 2016.

He also has established relationships with key lenders and investors from China and India, which are regional powerhouses.

Wickremesinghe was responsible for the 2015 passage of the 19th Amendment, which transferred power from President to Parliament. He also has extensive experience in navigating constitutional amendments.

Analysts describe him as a wily politician who is also a skilled dealmaker, and someone capable to play long games.

However, he must navigate largely populist members of the Rajapaksas’ Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and other party members that resigned in 2019 from the UNP to form the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. This is the main opposition.

Sajith Premadasa (son of a former President) is an important player in Sri Lankan Politics and has aspirations to become the prime minister of a Unity Government.

Wickremesinghe’s relationship with the Rajapaksas has been fraught. He was fired by Maithripala Sirisena in 2019, and replaced with Mahinda Rajapaksa. This decision was later ruled unconstitutional.