Sri Lanka’s PM Sworn In As Acting President

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was sworn in Friday as acting president, his office said, replacing Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled to Singapore following months of protest against him.

Wickremesinghe, 73, took his oath of office before chief justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Wickremesinghe’s office said in a brief statement.

The 73-year-old, who had already taken the role after Rajapaksa headed to Singapore via the Maldives, took his oath of office before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya. As per the constitution, the prime minister automatically becomes president in the event of a resignation.

Earlier, Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana confirmed that Rajapaksa “has officially resigned from his position”.

The formal declaration makes Rajapaksa – once known as “The Terminator” for his ruthless crushing of the Tamil rebellion – the first Sri Lankan head of state to resign since it adopted an executive presidency in 1978.