Who will be Sri Lanka’s next president? Race narrows to three candidates ahead of vote

Demonstrators in Sri Lanka are seeking the removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe

Sri Lanka is gearing up to choose a new president as the race narrows down to three candidates in the backdrop of students planning to launch large-scale protests once again in the crisis-hit country.

Leaders from across political parties nominated their candidates for president on Tuesday after which lawmakers will cast a parliamentary vote in Colombo on Wednesday to choose who will become the head of state of a country reeling under an economic crisis that has made daily living immensely painful for its ordinary citizens.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the current and unpopular interim president, is among those who have thrown their hats into the ring but who protesters want to step aside.