Sri Lankan president vows to shed powers and appoint prime minister

Gotabaya Rajapaksa (Alamy/PA)

Sri Lanka’s president has promised to appoint a new prime minister, empower the parliament and abolish the all-powerful executive presidential system as reforms to stabilise the country engulfed in a political crisis and violence triggered by the worst economic crisis in memory.

In a televised address, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he condemns attacks on peaceful protesters by mobs who came to support his brother and former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned on Monday.