2015 Sri Lankan presidential election Turnout 81.52% ( 7.02pp )
Results by polling division
Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 8 January 2015, two years ahead of schedule.[ 1] [ 2] Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance 's candidate, seeking a third term in office.[ 3] [ 4] The United National Party -led opposition coalition chose to field Maithripala Sirisena , former Minister of Health in Rajapaksa's government and general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – the main constituent party of the UPFA – as its common candidate.[ 5] [ 6]
Sirisena was declared the winner, receiving 51.28% of all votes cast compared to Rajapaksa's 47.58%.[ 7] [ 8] The result was generally seen as a major upset ;[ 9] [ 10] [ 11] when Rajapaksa called the election in November 2014 he had looked certain to win.[ 12] [ 13] [ 14] On 11 January 2015, the new government announced a special investigation into allegations of an attempted coup by Rajapaksa.[ 15]
^ "Presidential poll Jan. 8; Nominations on Dec. 8" . Daily Mirror . 21 November 2014.
^ "South Asia Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa facing electoral rebellion" . Deutsche Welle . 21 November 2014.
^ "Sri Lanka calls early presidential elections" . BBC News . 20 October 2014.
^ "Sri Lanka president calls early election" . Al Jazeera . 20 November 2014.
^ "Sri Lanka election: Health chief to challenge Rajapaksa" . BBC News . 21 November 2014.
^ "Sri Lankan minister quits, to challenge Rajapaksa for presidency" . Reuters . 21 November 2014.
^ Ben, Doherty; Munk, David (9 January 2015). "Sri Lanka election: president Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat — live" . The Guardian .
^ Sundarji, Padma Rao; Jacob, Jayanth Jacob (9 January 2015). "Mighty Rajapaksa stunned, Sirisena is new Lanka Prez" . Hindustan Times . Archived from the original on January 9, 2015.
^ "Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa suffers shock election defeat" . BBC News . 9 January 2015.
^ Koutsoukis, Jason (10 January 2015). "Sri Lanka election: shock result as president Mahinda Rajapaksa is tossed out" . The Sydney Morning Herald .
^ Pasricha, Anjana (9 January 2015). "Sri Lanka Swears In New President" . Voice of America . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2015 .
^ Hume, Tim; Athas, Iqbal (9 January 2015). "Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat in presidential elections" . CNN .
^ Kumar, Nikhil (9 January 2015). "Sri Lanka Looks to Chart a New Course After Ousting Mahinda Rajapaksa" . Time .
^ "Sri Lanka election winner Sirisena pledges to reform the state" . The Japan Times . 9 January 2015.
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