Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's ruling coalition lost its majority in parliament on Tuesday after at least 41 lawmakers walked out of the alliance amid growing unrest over an economic crisis, according to parliamentary proceedings.
"Our party is on the side of the people," said Maithripala Sirisena, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party which withdrew its support for Rajapaksa's coalition, reports Reuters.
The shift left Rajapaksa with a minority government, which could make decision making more challenging, although independent lawmakers can still continue to support government proposals.
The country of 22 million people has been suffering from a shortage of food, fuel and prolonged power cuts lasting up to 13 hours, triggered by a lack of foreign exchange that has stalled imports.
Opposition parties and even members of Rajapaksa's ruling alliance rejected the move for a unity government, setting the stage for a test of strength in parliament.
"You could see the composition of parliament changing today," said lawyer Luwie Niranjan Ganeshanathan, who specialises in constitutional issues.
In a wave of unprecedented spontaneous demonstrations across Sri Lanka, including large gatherings in the commercial capital Colombo, protesters have called for Rajapaksa and members of his powerful ruling family to resign. His brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is the prime minister.
"A lot of people are finding it difficult to get a square meal. You have to queue up to get gas and milk powder. Queues for everything," said Upali Karunatilake, 54, a school van driver.
"Even small children are saying that Gotabaya (the president) must be removed," Karunatilake said.
SRI LANKA FINANCE MINISTER RESIGNS A DAY AFTER SWEARING IN
Sri Lanka's Finance Minister, Ali Sabry, resigned on Tuesday a day after being sworn in, amid growing public unrest over a worsening economic crisis.
"I hereby tender my resignation from the post of Minister of Finance with immediate effect," Sabry said in a letter to the president, seen by Reuters.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Sabry on Monday after dissolving his cabinet and dropping his brother, Basil Rajapaksa, who previously served as finance minister.
The country of 22 million people has been suffering from a shortage of food, fuel and prolonged power cuts lasting up to 13 hours, triggered by a lack of foreign exchange that has stalled imports.
Opposition parties and even members of Rajapaksa's ruling alliance rejected the move for a unity government, setting the stage for a test of strength in parliament.
"You could see the composition of parliament changing today," said lawyer Luwie Niranjan Ganeshanathan, who specialises in constitutional issues.
In a wave of unprecedented spontaneous demonstrations across Sri Lanka, including large gatherings in the commercial capital Colombo, protesters have called for Rajapaksa and members of his powerful ruling family to resign. His brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is the prime minister.
"A lot of people are finding it difficult to get a square meal. You have to queue up to get gas and milk powder. Queues for everything," said Upali Karunatilake, 54, a school van driver.
"Even small children are saying that Gotabaya (the president) must be removed," Karunatilake said.
