Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s strong showing reveals voter weariness with leadership that has led to a national economic crisis and crushing hardship for many people.

That conflict, between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan state, erupted in 1983. The Tigers eventually had vast areas under their control in their fight for an independent territory in the island's north and east, but were defeated and all but wiped out in a 2009 military offensive.

Vote counting is underway in Sri Lanka’s presidential election as it seeks to recover from the worst economic crisis and political upheaval

The election was crucial as Sri Lanka seeks to recover from the worst economic crisis in its history and the resulting political upheaval.

Left-leaning politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka’s presidential election after a historic second round of counting. No candidate won more than 50% of the total votes in the first round, where Dissanayake got 42.31% while his closest rival, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, got 32.76%.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake leads early official results in Sri Lanka’s presidential election, according to tallies released on Sunday by the Election Commission, but he is still short of the 50% needed for victory.

Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake, whose pro-working class and anti-political elite campaigning made him popular among youth, won Sri Lanka’s presidential election, the Election Commission announced Sunday.

Sri Lanka’s leftist candidate won a tightly contested presidential election, with voters sweeping out the incumbent for the economic pain they’ve endured in the two years since the country was plunged into crisis.