evidence: Ranil Wickremesinghe: The six-time Sri Lankan PM who became president Ranil Wickremesinghe has been promoted from being Sri Lanka's prime minister to its new president within a matter of days. He now has the job he has long coveted - but the challenges he faces are monumental. [...] He was first elected to parliament in 1977 and quickly moved up the party ladder after Ranasinghe Pramadasa was elected president in 1989. He first served as prime minister from 1993 to 1994.