The party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has taken a large lead in early results from the parliamentary elections, in an apparent solid mandate for his program for economic revival.

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake secured a decisive victory in the snap general election, with his National People’s Power (NPP) party winning a majority to push forward his reform agenda.

Voters have handed Anura Kumara Dissanayake a significant win in a snap general election, giving its new leftist president greater legislative power to pursue policies to alleviate poverty.