2010 Sri Lankan presidential election

The 2010 Sri Lankan presidential election was held on January 26, 2010. It was a significant election, marking the first presidential race since the end of Sri Lanka's 26-year civil war. The incumbent president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, ran for re-election and was challenged by Sarath Fonseka, a former army commander who played a major role in defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Mahinda Rajapaksa, representing the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), campaigned on the platform of peace and development, emphasizing his leadership in ending the civil war. His opponent, Sarath Fonseka, ran as a candidate from a coalition of opposition parties, promising reform and a stronger focus on good governance and anti-corruption. Rajapaksa secured a decisive victory, winning with 57.88% of the vote, while Fonseka received 40.15%. The election was marked by high voter turnout, exceeding 70%. Despite the peaceful conduct of the voting process, Fonseka's camp alleged irregularities and raised concerns about the transparency of the election. Rajapaksa's victory consolidated his political power, allowing him to serve a second term, and laid the groundwork for his continued leadership until his eventual defeat in 2015. #SriLankaElection2010 #MahindaRajapaksa #SarathFonseka #EndOfCivilWar #PoliticalVictory #SriLankaPolitics #HighVoterTurnout #MoofLife