A former Sri Lanka health minister has signed an agreement with opposition parties to scrap the country's powerful presidential system and carry out other democratic reforms if he beats incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa and wins January's presidential election.
Maithripala Sirisena led a revolt in Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party last month and announced he will run in the January 8 election, with the backing of the country's main opposition United National Party.
He is also being supported by groups of lawyers, university teachers and other professionals.
Sirisena pledged on Monday to scrap the presidency, call a parliamentary election and install an all-party government led by a prime minister for at least two years.
He promised to make the police, judiciary and government bureaucracy independent from political interference within 100 days of being elected.
He has accused Rajapaksa of nepotism, corruption and turning the country into an autocracy.
Eight other ministers and MPs have also defected from the government to support Sirisena.
Share
