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World

Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lankan prime minister as 2 main parties agree to work together

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Ranil Wickremesinghe, right, takes oath as Sri Lanka’s prime minister in front Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena, center, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Aug. 21, 2015. Wickremesinghe's victory in Monday's election thwarted a political comeback bid by the country's former strongman president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, seven months after he lost his presidential re-election bid. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) (The Associated Press)

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    Image 2 of 3

    Ranil Wickremesinghe, right, takes oath as Sri Lanka’s prime minister in front Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena, center, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Aug. 21, 2015. Wickremesinghe's victory in Monday's election thwarted a political comeback bid by the country's former strongman president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, seven months after he lost his presidential re-election bid. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) (The Associated Press)

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    Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena, left, shakes hands with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa after the swearing ceremony of Ranil Wickremesinghe as new Sri Lanka prime minister in Colombo, Friday, Aug. 21, 2015. Wickremsinghe, a lawmaker since 1977, has already served three times as prime minister, a position second to the president in Sri Lanka. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) (The Associated Press)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka's new prime minister as the island nation's two major political parties signed an agreement to work together in the new parliament.

His victory in Monday's election thwarted a political comeback bid by the country's former strongman president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, seven months after he lost his presidential re-election bid.

Wickremsinghe, a lawmaker since 1977, has already served three times as prime minister, a position second to the president in Sri Lanka. He was sworn in on Friday before President Maithripala Sirisena.

Wickremesinghe's United National Party won 106 seats, seven short of a majority in the 225-member parliament. But the agreement between the UNP and Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party will enable Wickremesighe to secure a majority in parliament.