Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns as protests continue

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday sent his resignation letter through an email to the Parliament Speaker, days after protesters stormed the presidential palace demanding his resignation. The Speaker may now call a special session of Parliament within the next three days.

Rajapaksa, who fled Sri Lanka following intense protests, had handed over the reins of the country to Prime Minister Ranil Ranil Wickremesinghe. The prime



minister, as acting President, imposed an emergency in the wake of protests.

The anti-government protesters have announced to vacate some of the administrative buildings, including the President's house and the PM office, they have been occupying since April 9 demanding Rajapaksa's ouster.

Meanwhile, acting President Wickremesinghe has already told the Speaker to call on party leaders to name a new prime minister through consensus.