What Happened: A majority of 122 lawmakers voted against recently installed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa after the country's parliament reconvened on Nov. 14, dealing another blow to President Maithripala Sirisena following a Supreme Court decision to suspend his order to dissolve the legislature, Al Jazeera has reported.
Why It Matters: Sirisena's administration will likely strive to convince the Supreme Court of the constitutionality of its move to dissolve the parliament before judges issue a ruling on Dec. 7. Both Rajapaksa and ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe claim to be the lawful prime minister. The debate threatens to create more instability in the country, whose geopolitical significance stems from its location as a key Indian Ocean shipping hub located off the coast of southeastern India.
Background: On Oct. 26, Sirisena abruptly dismissed Wickremesinghe, replacing him with Rajapaksa. The president also suspended the country's parliament, triggering a political crisis.
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