Sri Lanka Cabinet Clears Proposal to Limit President’s Power
- Comes after opposition garners support for confidence vote
- Cabinet to return to 19th amendment with necessary changes
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Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the cabinet are putting in motion plans to reduce his wide-ranging powers as opponents gained momentum in their push to oust his family over mismanagement of the economy.
The cabinet late Monday approved a proposal by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa -- the president’s brother -- to return to the 19th amendment of the constitution “with necessary changes.” The decision came hours after the president made public a letter to the country’s influential Buddhist clergy, saying he would support the process to clip his executive powers.