This snap election, called by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, comes at a critical time for Sri Lanka, which is still grappling with the aftershocks of its worst economic crisis since independence.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is looking to consolidate his party’s power in Thursday’s parliamentary election to help him implement his election pledges to solve the country’s economic woes and foster good governance.

Sri Lanka is holding a snap general election to aid President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in securing a parliamentary majority. The election, featuring 17.1 million eligible voters, was called after the president dissolved the parliament to push forward urgently needed reforms amidst a financial crisis.

Sri Lanka votes to elect a new parliament this week in a snap general election called by its Marxist-leaning president who wants a fresh mandate in the legislature to drive economic reforms in the debt-ridden island nation.

Sri Lanka's new leftist leader has drawn strong support from an unlikely source as he seeks to expand his three parliamentary seats to a house majority in elections on Thursday. Voting opens Thursday at 7:00 am (0130 GMT) for 8,

In the history of the JVP, Dissanayake has played a particular role in its jettisoning of socialistic demagogy and transformation into a pro-imperialist party of the Sri Lankan ruling class to implement austerity and crush any opposition.

Sri Lanka will vote in a snap general election on Thursday, called by new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to secure a majority in parliament to back his policies in the island nation struggling to recover from a crushing financial crisis.

Strong support that Dissanayake secured in the presidential election will likely stay with his party in Thursday’s election, analysts say