Censure vote vs Sri Lankan leader fails as crisis simmers
ABC News
Sri Lanka’s ruling party has defeated a move in Parliament to urgently debate a motion censuring President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the nation’s worst economic crisis
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka's ruling party on Tuesday defeated a move in Parliament to urgently debate a motion censuring President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the nation's worst economic crisis, which the prime minister said has left enough gasoline stocks for only a day.
It's unclear when the motion will be taken up again.
It doesn't legally bound Rajapaksa to quit, but his refusal to do so has already roiled Sri Lanka, which is on the brink of bankruptcy as it negotiates with other countries and institutions an economic lifeline to be able to import basic supplies, medicines and fuel.
M.A Sumanthiran, a lawmaker from the opposition Tamil National Alliance, proposed that Parliament bypass the usual procedure to take up the motion against Rajapaksa urgently. But the ruling party defeated the motion with a 119-68 vote.
