evidence: While facing its worst economic crisis in 2022 since independence, a multi-month street protest movement brought together a wide array of society and ousted then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. However, even after the spectacular political movement ousted the president, the parliament (which was dominated by Rajapaksa loyalists and had been elected in 2020) remained in power and chose Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president. Wickremesinghe, a long-time politician and political insider, was seen in some ways as an interim leader who was still beholden to an old guard parliament. While he was able to secure a $3 billion IMF program for Sri Lanka, stabilize its economy and repair relations with many foreign donor nations, his tenure was marked by severe austerity under the IMF program and the continued use of the state’s police powers to stifle dissent and protest. The 2024 vote was the first presidential election since the economic crisis, providing Sri Lankans the chance to express their political and economic dissatisfaction at the ballot box. [...] His election platform detailed plans to ease the tax burden on the most vulnerable Sri Lankans, cut government corruption and increase transparency, and renegotiate the current $3 billion IMF program. His supporters do expect him to try to ease the austerity measures under the IMF program, but since being elected he has promised to continue the deal. Dissanayake has plans to immediately meet with the IMF for talks and proceed with negotiations to restructure external debt.