Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been elected as Sri Lanka’s new president, becoming the first Marxist leader in the country’s history. His win is seen as a referendum on economic reforms during a severe crisis. Dissanayake aims to balance relations with India and China while addressing inflation and poverty. Dissanayake is the leader of the historically anti-India Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).