Sri Lanka parliament debates change to presidential terms

Sri Lanka’s parliament started debating a controversial government proposal that would enable the president to seek an unlimited number of terms.

The main opposition United National Party boycotted today’s debate, saying the amendment would lead to a dictatorship.

However, the government is most likely to secure the two-thirds majority required in the 225-member Parliament to make it law.

According to current law, a president can hold office for two six-year terms, and President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term, which starts in November, would be his last.