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| Sri Lanka calls early presidential elections | Sri Lanka calls early presidential elections |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sri Lanka will hold presidential elections in January, one year ahead of schedule, the government's information minister says. | Sri Lanka will hold presidential elections in January, one year ahead of schedule, the government's information minister says. |
| President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to seek a third term at the elections. | President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to seek a third term at the elections. |
| Mr Rajapaksa won a landslide victory in January 2010, and is currently serving a six-year term. | Mr Rajapaksa won a landslide victory in January 2010, and is currently serving a six-year term. |
| In September 2010, Sri Lankan MPs voted to approve constitutional amendments allowing Mr Rajapaksa to seek an unlimited number of presidential terms. | In September 2010, Sri Lankan MPs voted to approve constitutional amendments allowing Mr Rajapaksa to seek an unlimited number of presidential terms. |
| Critics had argued that the amendments could lead to dictatorship, and the main opposition United National Party boycotted the vote. | Critics had argued that the amendments could lead to dictatorship, and the main opposition United National Party boycotted the vote. |
| Mr Rajapaksa first won the presidency in 2005 when Sri Lanka was in the middle of a tenuous ceasefire agreement with the Tamil Tiger rebels. | Mr Rajapaksa first won the presidency in 2005 when Sri Lanka was in the middle of a tenuous ceasefire agreement with the Tamil Tiger rebels. |
| He is popular with much of the country's Sinhalese majority for presiding over the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. | He is popular with much of the country's Sinhalese majority for presiding over the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. |
| However, he has also faced criticism for events at the end of the civil war, during which thousands of civilians were killed as troops battled to corner and crush the separatists. | |
| Speaking at a public meeting on Monday, Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said: "The presidential election will be held in January." | |
| "I know the date but can't say it at the moment." |