Faced with anger, the Sri Lankan government resigns en bloc

Sri Lanka's Minister of Education, Dinesh Gunawardena, has announced the government's resignation en bloc.

Here, December 4, 2019. AP - Eranga Jayawardena

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Faced with violent demonstrations against the economic crisis, the government of Sri Lanka resigned en bloc this Sunday evening.

This was announced by the Minister of Education.

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At an evening meeting, all 26 ministers tendered their resignations to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told reporters.

" 

 ," he said, adding that the decision was taken after discussions over the worsening economic crisis.

Three family members of the President and Prime Minister

Three other members of the powerful Rajapaksa family are among those to step down, as popular anger continues to mount over shortages of food, fuel and medicine hitting the country of 22 million people.

The youngest brother Rajapaksa, Basil, Minister of Finance, the eldest, Chamal, Minister of Agriculture, and the family heir, Namal, Minister of Sports, have resigned.

This drama comes as thousands of people defied the weekend curfew on Sunday to protest and demand the departure of the Rajapaksa family, which returned to power in November 2019.

► To read also: "It's only just begun": in Sri Lanka, the population demonstrates despite the state of emergency

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• Sri Lanka

• Gotabaya Rajapaksa