Sri Lanka president fails to get backing of largest party for re-election

FILE PHOTO: Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe attends the country's 76th Independence Day celebrations in Colombo, Sri Lanka February 4, 2024. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte/File Photo

COLOMBO (Reuters) -Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe failed on Monday to secure the backing of the biggest political party in parliament for his re-election bid, posing a major challenge to his prospects in the Sept. 21 vote.

Nearly 17 million of Sri Lanka's 22 million population are eligible to cast ballots in the vote that is crucial to determine the future of reforms in the South Asian island nation weathering its worst financial crisis in decades.