Presidential elections were held in
Sri Lanka on 21 December 1999. Nominations were accepted on 16 November 1999 and electoral participation was 73.31%. Incumbent President
Chandrika Kumaratunga of the governing
People's Alliance was re-elected for a second term, receiving 51% of all votes cast.
Background
Sri Lankan presidents are elected for six-year terms; with the
previous election having taken place in 1994, an election normally would not have been held until 2000. Kumaratunga called the election early.
Kumaratunga campaigned to continue her actions against the
Tamil Tigers
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
, while her main opponent
Ranil Wickremasinghe
Ranil Wickremesinghe ( si, රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ, ta, ரணில் விக்கிரமசிங்க; born 24 March 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician who is the current president of Sri Lanka since 21 July 2 ...
called for the commencement of direct negotiations with the Tigers.
Three days before the election, Kumaratunga was nearly killed by a Tamil Tiger
assassination attempt at her final rally. She lost her right eye, and appeared heavily bandaged on television before the election.
Results
References
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{{Ranil Wickremesinghe
Presidential elections in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
1999 in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Ranil Wickremesinghe