Sri Lankan lawmakers seek interim government to solve crisis

April 5, 2022
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A group of Sri Lankan governing party lawmakers called Tuesday for the appointment of an interim government, warning that a failure to do so would lead to violence and anarchy, as demonstrators continued to demand the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.

The lawmakers urged the speaker of Parliament to lead discussions with all parties to select an interim prime minister with the support of a majority of legislators.

The largest opposition party, however, said it will not support any interim government and insisted that the president resign immediately.

“We must heed the voices in the streets. The government should go, starting from the president,” said Sajith Premadasa, leader of the United People’s Force, or SJB.

The SJB has 54 of Parliament’s 225 seats. The governing coalition controlled nearly 150 seats before the current crisis, but is believed to have lost the support of some lawmakers.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet resigned Sunday night after thousands of people defied a state of emergency and curfew and joined street protests denouncing the government.