Sri Lanka’s new president ends session of Parliament

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka’s new president has ended the parliamentary session and has set the opening of a new one for Jan. 3.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an order to end the session effective at midnight Monday.

Rajapaksa won the Nov. 16 presidential election comfortably but doesn’t have a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Ending the session will give him freedom to govern without opposition from lawmakers.

He could issue another order extending Parliament’s recess for two more months past Jan. 3. That would lead into March, which is the only time the president can legally dissolve Parliament and call an election.