SRI LANKA: President ‘to lift’ parliament suspension

Sri Lanka’s president has lifted the suspension of parliament and scheduled a meeting of the legislature on November 5, according to his newly-appointed prime minister, in a highly anticipated move observers hope will end a bitter power struggle. President Maithripala Sirisena named Mahinda Rajapaksa – a controversial former president – as prime minister on Friday […]

Sri Lanka’s president has lifted the suspension of parliament and scheduled a meeting of the legislature on November 5, according to his newly-appointed prime minister, in a highly anticipated move observers hope will end a bitter power struggle.

President Maithripala Sirisena named Mahinda Rajapaksa – a controversial former president – as prime minister on Friday after abruptly firing Ranil Wickremesinghe and dismissing his government.

“President has decided to reconvene the parliament on 5th,” Rajapaksa said on Thursday, addressing a meeting at the prime minister’s office in the capital, Colombo.

There was no official word from Sirisena’s office on reconvening parliament.

The move will allow the 225-member House to choose between Rajapaksa and his opponent Wickremesinghe, who has been demanding that his United National Party (UNP) be allowed to prove its majority on the floor of the House.

“The people’s voices have been heard,” Wickremesinghe tweeted following the president’s decision. “Democracy will prevail”.