Acting Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency in the country, according to a government announcement late Sunday, as his administration seeks to quell social unrest stemming from the economic crisis.
"It is expedient, in the interest of public safety, protection of public order and maintenance of supply and services essential for the life of the community," reads the announcement about the declaration of the state of emergency.
On Wednesday, Wickremesinghe was appointed acting president from the post of prime minister until parliament elects a new head of state.
He was appointed after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country last week in the face of a popular uprising caused by the worst economic crisis in seven decades.
Parliament officially accepted Rajapaksa's resignation on Friday, and the process of electing a new president began on Saturday.
Wickremesinghe, a Rajapaksa ally, is one of the main candidates to take over the presidency permanently, but protesters also want him gone, raising the possibility of further unrest if he is elected.
Street protests against Sri Lanka's economic crisis have simmered for months, culminating last weekend when hundreds of thousands of people took over government buildings in Colombo. They accused the Rajapaksa family and allies of rampant inflation, shortages of basic goods and corruption.
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