by Melani Manel Perera

Over 15 million registered voters, 6,161 candidates for the 225 parliamentary seats. The elections will decide the new Prime Minister. The vote is taking place in a peaceful atmosphere.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - From 7 am this morning (local time) Sri Lankans have been voting  to choose the 15th Parliament and the new Prime Minister. Over 15 million people are registered to express their preferences in the 12,314 seats of the island, until 4pm today. Citizens must choose their representatives - 225 in total – from among  6,161 candidates from 39 political parties and 201 independent groups, in 22 electoral districts.

Sister Deepa Fernando, sister of the Holy Family and a member of the organization for election monitoring Paffrel (People's Action for Free and Fair Elections), told AsiaNews: "The climate of this election is much more peaceful and serene than before. The citizens are much more aware of their right to vote. In all honesty, we can be happy about this change of culture ".

Ranil Wickremasinghe, outgoing leader and candidate for the United National Party (UNP, the main opposition party), is running in a district of the capital, Colombo. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, candidate for the United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA), from the Kurunegala district.

Rajapaksa's candidacy has sparked a heated debate in the country, and the fear in civil society for a return to his regime. In an interview with the Indian newspaper The Hindu, Wickremasinghe said: "These elections are crucial as those of 1977 [sent home a very unpopular government, ed]. There is a clear trend against [return] of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the kind of autocratic government he had established. The people want  openness, transparency and good governance".

On 14 August President Maithripala Sirisena wrote a letter to Rajapaksa. In the letter, the current head of state asks his former fellow party "not to foment nationalism" and states that "he will not be appointed Prime Minister, even if [the party] were to get a majority. Other candidates may assume that office. "

Some citizens, by running  for prime minister Rajapaksa "has once again demonstrated to the world his blindness, his greed and his stupidity. He must stop trying to become a leader of this country, because he has already been rejected by the majority of this people".

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• lanka
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• rajapaksa
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