Foreign Scene
The future is uncertain for Sri Lankans as their President and Prime Minister are set to step down after thousands of protesters stormed their homes in fury over the nation’s crippling economic crisis.
The Speaker of the country’s parliament announced late Saturday that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to resign on July 13, , following a tumultuous day that saw protesters break into Rajapaksa’s official residence in Colombo and splash around in his swimming pool.
Protesters also targeted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, setting on fire his private residence on Fifth Lane, an affluent neighborhood in the capital.
Wickremesinghe later said he was willing to resign to make way for an all-party government.
The announcements , which protesters celebrated by singing on the streets and setting off fireworks — marked a historic victory for the protesters, who have been demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation for months over his government’s failure to address the country’s economic collapse.
Four other ministers stepped down over the weekend.
