Sri Lanka has sworn in Ranil Wickremesinghe as president, with hopes that he will lead the country out of its economic crisis.
Mr. Wickremesinghe, the former prime minister, is widely despised by the public, but some protesters have said they will give him a chance.
He took the oath in the heavily guarded parliament complex.
The economic crisis has caused months of unrest in Sri Lanka.
Many blame the Rajapaksa administration for mismanaging the country’s finances and see Mr. Wickremesinghe as part of the problem. However, there were few protests on the streets the day after Mr. Wickremesinghe was elected to parliament.
“He’s here, and we’ll see what he does.” “If we don’t get food or medicine, we’ll be on the streets,” one woman who took part in last week’s protests told the BBC.
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Mr. Wickremesinghe, who won a majority in parliament with the support of Rajapaksa’s ruling party, the Sri Lanka People’s Front, SLPP, took pains to distance himself from the old leaders.
“I am not a Rajapaksa supporter. “I am a friend of the people,” he told reporters after defeating his main rival, SLPP MP, by 134 votes to 82.
According to reports, the opposition has indicated a willingness to work with Mr. Wickremesinghe.
Many protesters, however, have expressed despair and disappointment at the election of a Rajapaksa-allied politician.
“I am absolutely disgusted by the outcome; I cannot believe that 134 MPs who are supposed to represent the people have completely ignored the wishes of the people,” activist Jeana De Zoysa said.
