In April 2022, Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt, sparking protests that forced out President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Voters have since endured years of hardship. However, green shoots have begun to surface under President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took office in 2022.

Sri Lankans who usually vote along religious and ethnic lines will be keeping the state of the economy in mind when they vote Saturday on a new president.

Sri Lankans will vote on Saturday for their next president, who will be key to deciding the future of reforms in a nation slowly emerging from worst financial crisis in decades.