Sri Lanka’s new president calls a parliamentary election for November to consolidate his mandate

Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has dissolved parliament and called for a parliamentary election in an effort to consolidate his mandate following his weekend election victory. A government notification said the dissolution was effective at midnight Tuesday and the elections were set for Nov. 14. Dissanayake’s party holds only three seats in the 225-member parliament. The early parliamentary election could help his chances of taking control of the chamber while his approval ratings remain intact following his win in Saturday’s presidential election.