Months after his unexpected victory over long-serving incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa, President Sirisena is planning a summer parliamentary election in a bid to garner more support for his reforms, which may include a war crimes probe of the former government. President Sirisena also promised to re-prioritize the country’s relationship with India over China. Under President Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka maintained very close relations with China and was a key ‘pearl’ as a host of Chinese military vessels. However, this re-prioritization hasn’t gone as far as allowing the Dalai Lama into the country, which is a move that would unsettle China.
