Sri Lanka's Parliament withdraws perks for former presidents

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to abolish perks and facilities provided to former presidents in response to a popular demand during recent public protests.

The vote passed 151-1 while other members were absent. The measure strips state funding for housing, allowances, pensions, transport facilities and an office and a staff for former presidents and their widows.

There are five living past presidents and a widow.

It was an election pledge of Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who took office last year, riding on public resentment against politicians accused of being responsible for the country's worst economic crisis in 2022, when Sri Lanka announced it cannot pay its foreign debt.

The crisis led lo a severe shortage of food, medicine, fuel and electricity, and triggered protests that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign.

His successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was granted bail Aug. 27 after being arrested over allegations of misusing public funds while in office.