Sri Lankans who usually vote along religious and ethnic lines will be keeping another factor in mind when they vote Saturday on a new president

Sri Lankans will vote on Saturday for their next president, who will be key to deciding the future of reforms in a nation slowly emerging from worst financial crisis in decades. A critical shortfall in foreign exchange in 2022 pushed Sri Lanka's economy into the worst financial freefall in decades.

The economy, which collapsed in 2022 after a severe shortage of dollars, is one of the key issues for voters, who have struggled with inflation that soared to as much as 70%, a battered currency and power tariffs that jumped 65%.

Sri Lankans will cast their vote to select the country’s next president. This is the first popular election since the country defaulted on its sovereign debt payments in 2022 and spiraled into its worst economic crisis since it gained independence in 1948.

Sri Lanka's presidential candidates wrapped up their campaigning on Wednesday, 48 hours before the election, pledging to fix the island country's ailing economy that is struggling to recover from a debilitating financial crisis.

Sri Lanka is preparing for its first national election since the financial default of 2022. Scheduled for September 21, 2024, this pivotal election features over 30 candidates, including President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.