Sri Lanka Rajapaksa to step down on July 13: Reports
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The emergency meeting of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party leaders suggests the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
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Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign on July 13, newspaper Adaderana reported on Saturday, citing Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana.
Earlier, Abeywardana informed Rajapaksa of the decisions made at today's emergency meeting of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party leaders, which was convened in response to the mass protests unfolding in Colombo.
The outcomes of the meeting suggested the immediate resignation of Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and provided for convening the parliament within seven days to appoint an acting president.
Sri Lankan PM resigns, parliament speaker becomes interim
Wickremesinghe's office confirmed on Saturday that the premier has agreed to resign to pave the way for an all-party government.
"Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told the Party Leaders that he is willing to resign as Prime Minister and make way for an all-Party Government to take over," the prime minister's office said in a statement.
Wickremesinghe has agreed with the recommendation to resign of the opposition party leaders to ensure the safety of citizens, the statement added.
In a similar context, the leader of the Sri Lanka Congress party Rauff Hakeem said that Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana has been assigned to become the country's interim prime minister.
Earlier in the day, Colombo was rocked by thousand-strong protests. Crowds tore through the barricades surrounding Rajapaksa’s residence, climbed over the fence and took control of the area, Sri Lankan media said, publishing multiple videos from the scene. Rajapaksa is reported to have been evacuated.
