Ali Sabry steps down as political storm over soaring living costs threatens to engulf President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka finance minister Ali Sabry quit after one day in office. Picture: BLOOMBERG
His departure is in keeping with the trend of government officials and politicians distancing themselves from the powerful Rajapaksa family in the face of growing public anger over a surge in inflation that is now Asia’s fastest. Sri Lanka is trying to avoid a political and economic collapse, with some saying that the default over sovereign debt is inevitable.
Rajapaksa has shown no sign that he will step down from the presidency. The Daily Mirror reported that the president told senior party members that he was willing to hand over the government to whichever party or group that can cobble together a simple majority of 113 seats. Rajapaksa’s own SLPP party is counting on retaining his brother Mahinda as prime minister.
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