Al Jazeera News :
Sri Lanka’s strongman leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will step down from his disputed position of the prime minister, his son has said.
Rajapaksa’s legislator son, Namal Rajapaksa, on Friday said he will quit on Saturday “to ensure stability of the nation”, AFP news agency reported.
On Thursday, the country’s Supreme Court declared President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to dissolve the parliament unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court also cancelled a snap election Sirisena had called for January 5.
The top court’s ruling meant that the country was effectively without a government and heading for a shut down in the absence of parliament voting for a budget for 2019.
A separate court earlier this month ordered that Rajapaksa should not exercise the powers of the office he has claimed since October 26.
Rajapaksa’s decision to back down signals an end to a crippling seven-week long power struggle in the South Asian island nation.
Sri Lanka’s political crisis began on October 26 when Sirisena abruptly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa in his place.
Rajapaksa failed to prove his majority in parliament and was twice defeated in no-confidence motions on November 14 and 16, but refused to step down.
Sri Lanka’s strongman leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will step down from his disputed position of the prime minister, his son has said.
Rajapaksa’s legislator son, Namal Rajapaksa, on Friday said he will quit on Saturday “to ensure stability of the nation”, AFP news agency reported.
On Thursday, the country’s Supreme Court declared President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to dissolve the parliament unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court also cancelled a snap election Sirisena had called for January 5.
The top court’s ruling meant that the country was effectively without a government and heading for a shut down in the absence of parliament voting for a budget for 2019.
A separate court earlier this month ordered that Rajapaksa should not exercise the powers of the office he has claimed since October 26.
Rajapaksa’s decision to back down signals an end to a crippling seven-week long power struggle in the South Asian island nation.
Sri Lanka’s political crisis began on October 26 when Sirisena abruptly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa in his place.
Rajapaksa failed to prove his majority in parliament and was twice defeated in no-confidence motions on November 14 and 16, but refused to step down.
