Prime Minister of Sri Lanka agrees to resign

Ranil Wickremesinghe will resign after a government consisting of all parties is formed

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe confirmed on Saturday that he would resign.

"To ensure the continuation of the Government including the safety of all citizens, I accept the best recommendation of the Party Leaders today to make way for an All-Party Government," he wrote on Twitter. "To facilitate this I will resign as prime minister.".

Wickremesinghe announced his decision after a meeting of the leaders of political parties chaired by Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Member of Parliament Harsha de Silva, one of the participants, said after the meeting that most representatives of Sri Lankan political parties had agreed that incumbent President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should resign. The speaker of the parliament should take over as provisional president for no longer than 30 days, and Sri Lanka’s parliament will elect president for the remaining term. Additionally, the meeting ruled to appoint a provisional all-party government and to hold elections in the near future.

Earlier the country’s news portal Newsfirst reported that Wickremesinghe has agreed to resign. "Prime Minister is ready to resign," the portal said following a meeting of leaders of political parties headed by the parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Wickremesinghe told the participants of the meeting about his decision, according to the portal. Sri Lankan PM will resign after a government consisting of all parties is formed.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Colombo on Saturday, demanding resignation of sitting head of state Gotabaya Rajapaksa. They managed to break into his residence, and later - into the residence of Prime Minister. Over 30 people were wounded during the protests, including several policemen.