Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been accused of massive corruption and atrocities during the country's civil war

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena has named his predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the country's new prime minister after the collapse of the governing coalition. “I remain as prime minister and I will function as the prime minister.”

Since his rushed swearing in, Rajapakse is yet to announce the formation of a cabinet - which under the constitution is automatically dissolved when a prime minister is removed. Traditionally, Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party has espoused left-of-center views and opposed economic liberalization, while Wickremesinghe's United National Party leans right and has championed reforms to open up Sri Lanka's economy.
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe is replaced by Mahinda Rajapakse.