Sri Lanka's presidential election has entered a second round of counting for the first time in history, as no candidate secured over 50 per cent of the vote. Anura Kumara Dissanayake leads with 39.52 per cent,

Under Sri Lanka’s electoral rules, voters can rank second and third-choice candidates. If no candidate receives more than 50 per cent, those second-preference votes are added to the tally of the two leading candidates to determine a winner. This will be the first presidential run-off in Sri Lanka’s election history.

Sri Lankans are voting for a new president in the first election since mass protests sparked by the country's worst-ever economic crisis unseated the leader in 2022. Saturday's vote is widely regarded as a referendum on economic reforms meant to put the country on the road to recovery.

Polls have closed in Sri Lanka's election, where voters are choosing a new president for the first time since mass protests unseated the country's leader in 2022. Saturday's vote is widely regarded as a referendum on economic reforms meant to put the country on the road to recovery after its worst ever financial crisis.

Sri Lankans will elect a new president in the first election since mass protests sparked by the country's worst-ever economic crisis unseated the leader in 2022. Saturday's election is widely regarded as a referendum on economic reforms meant to put the country on the road to recovery.

A previously fringe Marxist politician was on course Sunday to become Sri Lanka's next leader after a presidential vote coloured by discontent over the island nation's response to an unprecedented financial crisis.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka's main Marxist politician took a comfortable lead Sunday in a keenly fought presidential election that has turned into a referendum on an unpopular IMF bailout.