Mahinda Rajapaksa

Mahinda Rajapaksa, born on November eighteenth, nineteen forty-five, is a prominent Sri Lankan politician and lawyer. He first entered the Parliament of Sri Lanka in nineteen seventy and has since held various significant positions, including the sixth president of Sri Lanka from two thousand five to two thousand fifteen. His political journey also includes serving as Prime Minister during multiple terms, notably from two thousand four to two thousand five, again in two thousand eighteen, and from two thousand nineteen to two thousand twenty-two.

Rajapaksa's leadership of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party spanned from two thousand five to two thousand fifteen, during which he was sworn in for his first six-year presidential term on November nineteenth, two thousand five. He was re-elected in two thousand ten but faced defeat in his bid for a third term in the two thousand fifteen presidential election against Maithripala Sirisena. Despite this setback, he returned to Parliament as a Member for the Kurunegala District later that year.

In a controversial turn of events, Rajapaksa was appointed Prime Minister on October twenty-sixth, two thousand eighteen, leading to a constitutional crisis as the incumbent, Ranil Wickremesinghe, contested the dismissal. Following a series of no-confidence motions and a court ruling that suspended his powers, Rajapaksa resigned on December fifteenth, two thousand eighteen, subsequently becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

In two thousand nineteen, he became the leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, a party that emerged from a split in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He was appointed Prime Minister for the fourth time on November twenty-first, two thousand nineteen, by his brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who had just won the presidential election. However, his tenure faced significant challenges, including widespread protests in two thousand twenty-two over economic mismanagement, culminating in his resignation on May ninth, two thousand twenty-two.

Throughout his political career, Rajapaksa has faced numerous allegations, including war crimes and human rights violations during his presidency. As of two thousand twenty-three, he has been sanctioned by Canada for these human rights violations, marking a controversial legacy in Sri Lankan politics.