Sirisena, Maithripala

Sirisena, Maithripala

(Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Gapa Sirisena), 1951–, Sri Lankan political leader. After an early interest in the Communist party, he joined the Sri Lankan Freedom party (SLFP) in 1968, becoming head of its youth organization in 1983. First elected to parliament in 1989, Sirisena held several ministerial posts, including those of agriculture (2005–10) and health (2010–14). In 2015, after breaking with President Mahinda RajapakseRajapakse or Rajapaksa, Mahinda
, 1945–, Sri Lankan political leader. A lawyer from a political family, he was first elected to parliament in 1970 as member of the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP).
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 and accusing the president and his family of corruption and undermining the rule of law, Sirisena ran against him and was elected president of Sri Lanka; he also became defense minister. Sirisena later rejoined and led the SLFP. In 2018 Sirisena's dismissal of Prime Minister Ranil WickremesingheWickremesinghe, Ranil Shriyan
, 1949–, Sri Lankan political leader. A member of the United National party and party leader (1994–), he was first elected to the Sri Lankan parliament in 1977.
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 and appointment of Rajapakse to succeed him provoked a political and constitutional crisis. Sirisena then sought to dissolve parliament, but the supreme court ultimately ruled his decree unconstitutional, and Wickremsinghe was restored to office.