Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka’s presidential election as voters rejected the old political guard that has been widely accused of pushing the nation toward economic ruin.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been elected as Sri Lanka's new president, becoming the first Marxist leader in the country's history. His win is seen as a referendum on economic reforms during a severe crisis.

Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake, whose pro-working class and anti-political elite campaigning made him popular among youth, won Sri Lanka’s presidential election, the Election Commission announced Sunday.