Voting ends in Sri Lanka's parliamentary election that's key for its new Marxist-leaning president

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankans voted in a parliamentary election Thursday that is key for the country's new, Marxist-leaning president to consolidate his party's power and follow through on promises of economic recovery.

Voting ended at 4 p.m. local time with more than 17 million people eligible to vote. Details on the voter turnout were not immediately available.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the presidential election on Sept. 21 in a victory that marked a rejection of the traditional political parties, which have governed the island nation since its independence from British rule in 1948.

However, Dissanayake’s failure to secure more than 50% of the vote has fueled concerns over his party’s outlook in Thursday's election.

His National People’s Power party must increase its votes significantly — from the 42% it won in the presidential election — if it is to acquire a minimum of 113 seats to take control of the 225-member Parliament.

The biggest challenge for the NPP — which was founded in 2019 and is a relative newcomer on Sri Lanka’s political scene — is that many of its candidates are new faces in politics running against well-established politicians from the traditional parties.

After casting his vote, Dissanayake called on voters to give his party a strong mandate to implement his programs.

Of the 225 parliament seats, 196 are up for grabs under Sri Lanka's proportional representative electoral system, which allocates seats in each district among the parties according to the proportion of the votes they get.

The remaining 29 seats — called the national list seats — are allocated to parties and independent groups according to the proportion of the total votes they receive countrywide.

There are 8,821 candidates vying for the 196 seats for elected members of Parliament.

Sajith Premadasa, who came in second in the presidential election and his Samagi Jana Balawegaya, or United People's Power party, is NPP's main competition.

Dissanayake, while campaigning for his party’s candidates, has called on voters to help elect them to Parliament so he won’t need to rely on a coalition to enact the reforms he promised.

Election results are expected on Friday.

The election comes at a decisive time for Sri Lankans, as the island nation is struggling to emerge from its worst economic crisis, having declared bankruptcy after defaulting on its external debt in 2022.

The country is now in the middle of a bailout program with the International Monetary Fund and debt restructuring with international creditors nearly complete.

Dissanayake had said during the presidential campaign that he planned to propose significant changes to the targets set in the IMF deal, which his predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe signed, saying it placed too much burden on the people. However, he has since changed his stance and says Sri Lanka will go along with the agreement.

Sri Lanka’s crisis was largely the result of economic mismanagement combined with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which along with 2019 terrorism attacks devastated its important tourism industry. The pandemic also disrupted the flow of remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad.

The government also slashed taxes in 2019, depleting the treasury just as the virus hit. Foreign exchange reserves plummeted, leaving Sri Lanka unable to pay for imports or defend its currency, the rupee.

Sri Lanka’s economic upheaval led to a political crisis that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign in 2022. Parliament then elected Wickremesinghe to replace him.

The economy was stabilized, inflation dropped, the local currency strengthened and foreign reserves increased under Wickremesinghe. Nonetheless, he lost the election as public dissatisfaction grew over the government’s effort to increase revenue by raising electricity bills and imposing heavy new income taxes on professionals and businesses, as part of the government’s efforts to meet the IMF conditions.

Dissanayake’s promise to punish members of previous governments accused of corruption and to recover allegedly stolen assets has also raised much hope among the people.

People arrive to cast their votes at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

People arrive to cast their votes at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

People arrive to cast their votes at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake waves with other candidates during a public rally ahead of Thursday's parliamentary election in Gampaha, Sri Lanka, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A woman holds a flag of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake 's National People's Power party during a public rally ahead of Thursday's parliamentary election in Gampaha, Sri Lanka, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan president and the leader of National People's Power Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrives for a public rally ahead of Thursday's parliamentary election in Gampaha, Sri Lanka, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

PARIS (AP) — Bordeaux fullback Romain Buros makes his test debut for France in one of four changes from the side which routed Japan to face New Zealand in autumn rugby at Stade de France on Saturday.

Buros replaces Leo Barré, and Gabin Villière comes in at right wing with Damian Penaud ill and his matchday replacement, Théo Attissogbe, out with a sprained left ankle.

Veteran center Gaël Fickou comes back into midfield for his 92nd cap alongside Yoram Moefana, with Émilien Gailleton going to the reserves.

The lone change in the forwards sees Paul Boudehent — who scored two second-half tries in the 52-12 win against Japan — replacing a concussed François Cros at flanker in coach Fabien Galthié's side.

Regular fullback Thomas Ramos stays at flyhalf alongside star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, whose scoring touch was not even required last Saturday, when Les Tricolores crossed for eight tries at Stade de France.

Flanker Thibaud Flament has shaken off a blow to the knee from that game and lines up with Alexandre Roumat and No. 8 Grégory Alldritt in the back row.

The bench has a 6-2 split with flanker and former captain Charles Ollivon returning after being omitted from the matchday 23 against Japan.

Scrumhalf Maxime Lucu and flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert drop out with scrumhalf Nolann Le Garrec joining Gailleton on the bench.

France and New Zealand met in the opening game of the 2023 World Cup, which France won 27-13 with Jalibert a starter. The All Blacks went on to reach the final at Stade de France, losing to South Africa.

New Zealand dramatically edged England 24-22 two weeks ago at Twickenham and beat Ireland 23-13 in Dublin last Friday.

France comes back to the national stadium next Friday to complete its autumn campaign against Argentina.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

New Zealand's Jordie Barrett, centre, is tackled by England's Ollie Lawrence, left, during the Autumn Nations Series rugby match between England and New Zealand, at Twickenham stadium, in London Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

New Zealand's Jordie Barrett, center, is tackled by Ireland's Finlay Bealham, left, and James Ryan (5) during the Autumn international rugby match, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)

France's Antoine Dupont makes a break during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between France and Japan at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's coach Fabien Galthie watches his team warm-up for the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between France and Japan at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)