Sri Lanka presidential contenders wrap up campaigning ahead of Saturday vote

People walk near the posters of Sri Lanka's president Ranil Wickremesinghe before his final rally at a residential area for the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for September 21, in Colombo, Sri Lanka September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's presidential candidates wrapped up their campaigning on Wednesday, 48 hours before the election, pledging to fix the island country's ailing economy that is struggling to recover from a debilitating financial crisis.

Over 17 million Sri Lankans will vote on Saturday to elect a new president for a five-year term, the first election since a severe shortfall of dollar reserves pushed the South Asian island into its worst financial freefall in decades.