Sri Lankans voted on Saturday in the country's first presidential election since its economic collapse, with the unpopular IMF austerity plan at the forefront of voters' minds. President Ranil Wickremesinghe faces tough opposition as his economic reforms, though stabilising the nation, have caused widespread hardship, fuelling support for candidates advocating political change.
Cash-strapped Sri Lanka concluded its voting for the next president on Saturday, marking an effective referendum on the unpopular International Monetary Fund (IMF) austerity plan introduced after the country’s unprecedented financial crisis.
