COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's election commission declared a previously fringe Marxist politician the country's president-elect on Sunday (Sep 22) after a vote coloured by discontent over the island nation's respons

Sri Lanka's election commission declared a previously fringe Marxist politician the country's president-elect on Sunday after a vote coloured by discontent over the island nation's response to an unprecedented financial crisis.

Sri Lanka election results: Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been declared winner, defeating incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The commission said Dissanayaka won the presidency with 42.31 per cent of the vote

Sri Lanka's Marxist-leaning leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, grabbed a commanding early lead on Sunday in his bid to become the next president of the debt-ridden country seeking to elect a leader to bolster its fragile economic recovery. Dissanayake won about 53% of a million votes counted so far in the…

Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake defeated opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe to become Sri Lanka’s next president on Sunday, according to the country's election…

Sri Lanka's crisis has proven an opportunity for Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, who has seen a surge of support based on his pledge to change the island's "corrupt" political culture.