Anura Kumara Dissanayake has officially taken the oath of office as Sri Lanka's new president after winning the presidential election against opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist-leaning politician, was sworn in as the president of Sri Lanka on Monday, following the election commission's announcement of his victory in the presidential elections. Dissanayake's win marked the end of incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe's term, who had been appointed by parliament during Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis and had implemented strict austerity measures.

In his speech after the oath-taking ceremony in Colombo, Dissanayake acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating that he will "understand the complex task ahead and will work to meet the aspirations of the people." He also emphasized his commitment to winning over those who did not vote for him, saying, "I will work to inspire confidence of the people who did not vote for me."

The 55-year-old leader, once part of a marginal Marxist party, triumphed over 38 other candidates in the race. He defeated opposition leader Sajith Premadasa by a margin of 1.27 million votes, becoming the ninth person to hold Sri Lanka's executive presidency.

Premadasa, the son of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was assassinated while in office, finished second in the election. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe came in third.