evidence: The election will be a referendum on two main issues: Wickremesinghe’s handling of the economy, which has rebounded since a debt default in 2022 but remains fragile, and broader views of Sri Lankan politics. Many Sri Lankans want to move away from the family-driven politics of the Rajapaksas—a sentiment that disadvantages Wickremesinghe, who is close to the family and served out the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term.