Former Sri Lankan president and parliamentary candidate Mahinda Rajapakse (C) addresses the media outside a polling station in his native town of Tangalla, about 195 kms from the capital Colombo.
Sri Lankans are now electing their deputies. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, seven months after his presidential defeat, wants to make his comeback.
Beaten by reformist Maithripala Sirisena – who was his minister – in January, Mahinda Rajapaksa, 69, is now running for prime minister after having presided over the country for ten years. A double mandate marked in 2009 by the crushing of the Tamil separatist rebellion, then active for 26 years in the north of the country.
The last poll authorized during the campaign, at the end of July, however, left him little hope. Almost 40% of the voters polled believe that the outgoing Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the head of a minority government, is the most qualified for the post, against 27.5% for Rajapaksa.
The ex-president supported by the Buddhist majority
The 225 Members of Parliament are nominated by a multi-member ballot in a single round, with the 15 million voters being able to choose three names from each list presented by the contending parties. The results should be known on Tuesday.
The government coalition enjoys broad support among Tamil and Muslim minorities, while Rajapaksa, head of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka (SLFP), is given the lead among Sinhalese, Buddhists, who represent more than 70% of the electorate.
The stake, relations with China
Relations with China are one of the main issues of the ballot. The country is indeed one of the stages of the “maritime silk road” connecting the shores of the People’s Republic to those of its major export customers in the Middle East and Europe.
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