Sri Lanka's newly elected President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has dissolved the 225-member parliament in preparation for a snap general election. Dissanayake, known for his left-leaning National People's Power (NPP) alliance, made the decision to dissolve the parliament to seek a fresh mandate for his policies, just days after winning the nation's presidential election. The snap general election is scheduled to take place on 14 November, almost a year ahead of the original schedule, as announced in the official government gazette.

President Dissanayake also appointed his ally Harini Amarasuriya as the country's prime minister, making her the third woman in Sri Lanka's history to hold the position. Amarasuriya, a former university lecturer and one of the three NPP MPs, will also be overseeing ministerial responsibilities for justice, education, and labor. Dissanayake, who has been gaining popularity for his anti-corruption and anti-poverty policies, aims to renegotiate parts of a $2.9bn bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that includes austerity measures.

The political landscape in Sri Lanka shifted dramatically following Dissanayake's election victory, which marked a drastic turnaround for the former Marxist politician who won just 3% in the 2019 presidential election. The economic collapse of the country in 2022 led to widespread protests, forcing the then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign. Dissanayake's election win was seen as a pivot away from the old political order, with a focus on addressing the challenges faced by the people, particularly the rising cost of living. Moving forward, the new president has emphasized the need for a collective effort to overcome the current crisis.