Wickremesinghe, Ranil Shriyan

Wickremesinghe, Ranil Shriyan

(ränēl` shrēyän` wĭkrəməsĭng`hä), 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. He has held several ministerial posts, served as prime minister (1993–94, 2001–2004), and was leader of the opposition (1994–2001, 2004–2015). In Jan., 2015, he led the United National Front for Good Governance coalition to a plurality in the parliamentary elections, and once again became prime minister. In Oct., 2018, however, President SirisenaSirisena, 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.
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 dismissed him and appointed 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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 to succeed him, provoking a political and constitutional crisis. Wickremesinghe rejected the move and was reaffirmed as prime minister in December.