Ranil sworn in as PM

United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the new Prime Minister yesterday.

The swearing in ceremony was held before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House. Ranil Wickremesinghe has previously served as Prime Minister five times.

Wickremesinghe is said to be the only politician to have served as Prime Minister of his country six times in world politics. 

Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister following the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa on the 9th of this month.

He is the only Member of Parliament representing the United National Party in the current Parliament.

However, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a group of members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the Independent Group of MP’s and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are expected to support Wickremesinghe in Parliament.

Wickremesinghe became the Prime Minister for the first time in 1993. At that time he was the Prime Minister for one and a half years.

He became Prime Minister in 2001 and served as Prime Minister for more than two years.

Ranil Wickremesinghe was also the Prime Minister of the government that was formed 100 days after the January 2015 presidential election. Wickremesinghe was re-elected Prime Minister in August of that year, winning the largest number of seats.

Wickremesinghe lost his post as Prime Minister in a constitutional coup in October 2017 and was sworn in for a fifth term as Prime Minister 56 days later following a court order.

Ranil Wickremesinghe resigned as Prime Minister after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President in the November 2019 Presidential Election.

In the general election held in July of that year, Sajith Premadasa, the Deputy Leader of the United National Party, split with the majority of the party, formed the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and contested the election. The United National Party won only one seat from the National List.

It is noteworthy that Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was appointed to Parliament for the only National List seat his party got, has become the Prime Minister for the sixth time.

Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath, the Prime Minister’s wife Maithri Wickremesinghe. The UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena, Chairman Vajira Abeywardena and Secretary General Palitha Range Bandara were also present. Meanwhile several foreign missions in Colombo including the US welcomed Wickremesinghe’s appointment as the new Prime Minister.