Ranil Wickremesinghe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ranil Wickremesinghe
රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ரணில் විக்கிரමසිங்க
Wickremesinghe in 2024
9th President of Sri Lanka
In office 21 July 2022 – 23 September 2024 Acting: 14–21 July 2022
Prime Minister	Dinesh Gunawardena
Preceded by	Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Succeeded by	Anura Kumara Dissanayake
10th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
In office 12 May 2022 – 21 July 2022
President	Gotabaya Rajapaksa Himself (acting)
Preceded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Succeeded by	Dinesh Gunawardena
In office 15 December 2018 – 21 November 2019
President	Maithripala Sirisena
Preceded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Succeeded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
In office 9 January 2015 – 26 October 2018
President	Maithripala Sirisena
Preceded by	D. M. Jayaratne
Succeeded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
In office 9 December 2001 – 6 April 2004
President	Chandrika Kumaratunga
Preceded by	Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Succeeded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
In office 7 May 1993 – 18 August 1994
President	Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Preceded by	Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Succeeded by	Chandrika Kumaratunga
10th Leader of the Opposition
In office 22 April 2004 – 9 January 2015
Prime Minister	Mahinda Rajapaksa Ratnasiri Wickremanayake D. M. Jayaratne
Preceded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Succeeded by	Nimal Siripala de Silva
In office 28 October 1994 – 10 October 2001
Prime Minister	Sirimavo Bandaranaike Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Preceded by	Gamini Dissanayake
Succeeded by	Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Ministerial roles
2022–2024	Minister of Defence Minister of Technology Minister of Finance Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment
2015–2019	Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs
1989–1993	Minister of Industry Leader of the House
1980–1989	Minister of Education
1977–1980	Minister of Youth Affairs & Employment
1977	Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Member of Parliament for National List
In office 23 June 2021 – 21 July 2022
Member of Parliament for Colombo District
In office 16 August 1994 – 3 March 2020
Member of Parliament for Gampaha District
In office 15 February 1989 – 16 August 1994
Personal details
Born	(1949-03-24) 24 March 1949 (age 76) Colombo, Dominion of Ceylon
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Political party	United National Party
Other political affiliations	New Democratic Front (since 2024)
Spouse	Maithree Wickremesinghe ​ (m. 1994)​
Parents	Esmond Wickremesinghe Nalini Wickremesinghe
Relatives	Wijewardene family
Residence	115 Fifth Lane
Alma mater	Royal College, Colombo University of Ceylon
Occupation	Lawyer Politician

Ranil Wickremesinghe (Sinhala: රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ; Tamil: ரணில் විக்கிரමසිங்க; born 24 March 1949) is a well-known Sri Lankan politician. He served as the ninth president of Sri Lanka from 2022 to 2024. Before becoming president, he was the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka five times. These terms were from 1993–1994, 2001–2004, 2015–2018, 2018-2019, and in 2022.

Wickremesinghe has held many important jobs in the government. He was the Minister of Finance, Minister of Defence, Minister of Technology, and Minister of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment. He has been the leader of the United National Party (UNP) since 1994.

He comes from a family involved in politics. He studied at the University of Ceylon and became a lawyer in 1972. He started his political journey in the mid-1970s and was first elected to Parliament in 1977. He became prime minister for the first time in 1993 after a sad event involving President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

In 2022, during a difficult time for Sri Lanka, he was appointed prime minister. When President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned, Wickremesinghe became the acting president. Later, in July 2022, the parliament elected him as the 9th President of Sri Lanka. He served until September 2024, when he peacefully handed over power to the new president.

Early Life and Education

Ranil Wickremesinghe was born on 24 March 1949 in Colombo. He was the second son of Esmond Wickremesinghe and Nalini Wickremesinghe. His father was a lawyer who later managed a large group of newspapers. His grandfathers were also important figures in public service and media.

He attended the Royal Preparatory School and Royal College, Colombo. There, he was friends with other future political leaders. He then studied law at the University of Ceylon in Colombo. After graduating, he completed his law exams and became a lawyer in 1972. In 2017, he received an honorary doctorate from Deakin University in Australia. This award recognized his important work in improving the economy, education, and human rights.

Political Career

Wickremesinghe joined the United National Party (UNP) and quickly moved up in its ranks. He was first elected to parliament in 1977. He became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Soon after, he was promoted to Minister of Youth Affairs & Employment in 1977. This made him the youngest cabinet minister in Sri Lanka. During this time, he helped start the Sri Lanka National Guard and the National Youth Services Council. These programs help young people get training for jobs. In 1980, he became the Minister of Education.

Under President Ranasinghe Premadasa, Wickremesinghe became the Minister of Industry in 1989. He worked on industrial improvements and created a special economic zone in Biyagama. He also took on roles in Science and Technology in 1990. In 1989, he was appointed Leader of the House in parliament.

First Time as Prime Minister (1993–1994)

On 7 May 1993, Wickremesinghe became prime minister. This happened after President Ranasinghe Premadasa passed away in a tragic event. The then-Prime Minister, Dingiri Banda Wijetunga, became president. During his short time as prime minister, Wickremesinghe was praised for helping the country's economy grow. He had strong support from the business community.

Time in Opposition (1994–2001)

In the 1994 parliamentary elections, the UNP lost to the People's Alliance. Chandrika Kumaratunga became the new Prime Minister. After some changes in leadership, Wickremesinghe became the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of the UNP.

In the 1999 presidential election, Wickremesinghe ran for president. After a challenging campaign, he was defeated by Chandrika Kumaratunga, who was re-elected. He also led his party in the 2000 parliamentary elections but did not win.

Second Time as Prime Minister (2001–2004)

In the 2001 parliamentary elections, Wickremesinghe led the United National Front to victory. He became the Prime Minister on 9 December 2001. However, Chandrika Kumaratunga was still the president. This meant the president and prime minister were from different political parties. Even though the president was the head of state, Wickremesinghe had control over the government's daily work.

During this time, Wickremesinghe suggested a big project called the "Western Region Megapolis." This plan aimed to build a large new city in the western part of Sri Lanka. He also worked to get international help for development. The Tokyo Donor Conference in 2003 raised over $4.5 billion for reconstruction.

His foreign policy focused on building stronger ties with Western countries. He hoped their economic support would help Sri Lanka's economy. He also sought help from countries like Norway to find a solution to the country's internal conflict. In 2002, he met with United States President George W. Bush, which was an important step in building new relationships. He also met with leaders from Britain, Japan, India, and Malaysia.

Efforts for Peace

Wickremesinghe believed that a political solution was the best way to end the conflict in the country. He thought this could be achieved through peaceful talks. In February 2002, his government signed a ceasefire agreement (CFA). This agreement aimed to stop military actions and find a peaceful solution. An international group, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), was set up to check if the agreement was followed. After the CFA, the country felt safer, and tourism increased. A major highway was also reopened after many years.

Wickremesinghe held several rounds of peace talks with the other party involved in the conflict between 2002 and 2003. These talks took place in different countries like Thailand, Norway, Germany, and Japan. In December 2003, a statement known as the Oslo Declaration was made. It suggested exploring a political solution based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka. This was a significant moment in the search for peace. However, the peace talks eventually stopped in March 2003.

Time in Opposition (2004–2015)

In February 2004, President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved parliament and called for new elections. Wickremesinghe's government lost the 2004 parliamentary elections. He remained the Leader of the Opposition until 2015.

In the 2005 presidential election, Wickremesinghe ran for president again. He was narrowly defeated by Mahinda Rajapaksa.

After the civil war ended, the government held provincial elections. The ruling party won most of these elections. In 2009, Wickremesinghe formed an alliance with other opposition parties. They chose a common candidate, Sarath Fonseka, for the 2010 presidential election, which they supported.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Times as Prime Minister (2015–2019)

In 2015, Wickremesinghe's party and other groups supported Maithripala Sirisena for president. Sirisena won the election and appointed Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister on 9 January 2015.

In the 2015 parliamentary elections, Wickremesinghe's party won the most seats. He was officially sworn in as Prime Minister for the fourth time. He received the highest number of votes for a candidate in Sri Lankan election history.

He promised to create 1 million jobs for young people and improve education and health. He also worked to develop areas affected by the past conflict. He restarted the Megapolis plan, which aimed to transform the Western Province into a major modern city by 2030. This plan hoped to solve issues like traffic and waste management. He also showed interest in similar plans for other cities.

Wickremesinghe proposed big economic changes. He wanted to build a knowledge-based economy focused on social justice. This included creating global opportunities for education and strengthening the health system. He also planned to reduce income differences and increase exports. He worked on reforming state-owned businesses and making trade agreements with India and China. He also aimed to boost tourism and develop the rural economy. He organized the Sri Lanka Economic Forum in 2016, which attracted international investors.

In October 2018, there was a disagreement over government rules. President Maithripala Sirisena removed Wickremesinghe from office and appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister. Wickremesinghe said this was against the rules. After court decisions, he was re-instated as prime minister in December 2018.

For the 2019 presidential election, Wickremesinghe supported Sajith Premadasa as the party's candidate. Premadasa was defeated by Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Foreign Relations

During his time as prime minister, Wickremesinghe worked to improve Sri Lanka's relationships with India and Western countries. He also maintained good relations with China. He discussed ways to solve fishing disputes with India.

He also worked to strengthen ties with Japan and Singapore. He visited Japan and promised to support their bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council. They also formed a "comprehensive partnership" covering political, economic, and security matters.

Time in Opposition (2019–2022)

After the 2019 presidential election, Wickremesinghe led the United National Party in the 2020 parliamentary elections. The party faced a difficult election and, for the first time, did not win a single seat directly. However, Wickremesinghe re-entered parliament in June 2021 as a National List Member of Parliament.

He continued his international work as vice chairman of the International Democrat Union.

Fifth Time as Prime Minister (2022)

By May 2022, Sri Lanka was facing a severe economic crisis. There were widespread protests and social unrest. After Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister on 12 May 2022. He aimed to form a national government with all political parties to guide the country through this difficult time. He also became the Minister of Finance, Economic Stability, and National Policies.

On 9 July, his office announced he was ready to resign to allow for an all-party government. His private residence in Colombo was affected during protests that day.

Presidency (2022–2024)

On 13 July 2022, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country. Wickremesinghe then took over as acting president. He declared a state of emergency to help manage the situation. On 15 July, he was sworn in as the acting president. He made changes, like stopping the use of "His Excellency" for the president and removing the presidential flag.

On 20 July, the Parliament of Sri Lanka elected him as the 9th President of Sri Lanka. He was chosen to serve the rest of Rajapaksa's term. He was sworn in on 21 July and appointed Dinesh Gunawardena as prime minister the next day.

Wickremesinghe meets with Britain's King Charles III at a Reception held at the Buckingham Palace on 5 May 2023.

In September 2022, President Wickremesinghe visited the UK to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. He was invited by King Charles III.

Managing the Economy

President Wickremesinghe continued efforts to help Sri Lanka's economy recover. His government introduced measures like power and fuel rationing. They also increased some taxes to raise money for the government. These steps were taken to secure financial help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In March 2023, the IMF approved the first part of its financial package for Sri Lanka. This was a big step and was expected to bring in more support from other international organizations. His government also started economic reforms. These included making state-owned companies like the Ceylon Electricity Board and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation charge fair prices. They also worked to make the Central Bank more independent. His administration also made progress in managing the country's debt.

2024 Presidential Election

In 2024, there was much talk about whether Wickremesinghe would run for president again. He announced that he would seek re-election as an independent candidate. He received support from the United National Party and other political groups. This was his third time running for president.

In the election, Wickremesinghe finished in third place. Since no candidate won a clear majority, the election went to a second round of counting. The new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, was then chosen from the top two candidates. On 23 September 2024, Wickremesinghe left the Presidential Secretariat, ensuring a smooth transfer of power to President Dissanayake.

Post-Presidency

After the presidential election, it was announced that Wickremesinghe would not run in the upcoming parliamentary elections. However, he actively supported the New Democratic Front, a group of parties that had backed him during his presidential campaign.

Family and Personal Life

Ranil Wickremesinghe married Maithree Wickremesinghe in 1994. She is a respected academic and a Professor of English. Ranil Wickremesinghe generally keeps his private life out of the public eye. His wife, Maithree, also mostly stayed out of politics until his re-election as prime minister in 2015.

His family has a long history of public service and involvement in media. Many of his relatives have also been active in government. For example, his cousins Ruwan Wijewardene and Wasantha Senanayake held ministerial positions.

Honours

• Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2014)
• Doctor of Laws (honorary) – Deakin University (2017)

See also

In Spanish: Ranil Wickremesinghe para niños

• List of political families in Sri Lanka