(COLOMBO, Sri Lanka) — Lawmakers supporting disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have walked out of Sri Lanka’s Parliament to protest the speaker’s actions during an ongoing political crisis.
On Oct. 26, President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa to the position. Wickremesinghe has said he still has the support of a majority in Parliament.
Last week, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced Sri Lanka had no prime minister or government after Parliament passed a no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa. He has refused to accept the results of the no-confidence motion, saying proper procedures were not followed.
Wimal Weerawansa, a lawmaker supporting Rajapaksa, accused Jayasuriya of being partial to Wickremesinghe. Jayasuriya was elected to parliament from Wickremesinghe’s United National Party.
