Senior politician Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new prime minister today – official sources said the country is in a time of deep crisis.

Wickremesinghe, 73, was sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Second, he faces protests demanding his resignation due to the worsening economic crisis on this island of 22 million people.

Sri Lanka suffers from food, fuel and medicine shortages. The economy was on the verge of collapse after the country announced in April that it was suspending debt payments. Deep needs of all kinds provoked daily manifestations.

The new prime minister, who has held the same post five times, will have a hard time passing any law in Parliament.

“The cabinet will probably be appointed tomorrow,” the president’s spokesperson Sudewa Hettiarachchi told AFP.

On Wednesday, 11th, in his first speech since the start of the crisis, Rajapaksa rejected any request for resignation and promised that the new government would have more executive power.

“I will appoint a prime minister who will lead the parliamentary majority and the confidence of the people,” the president said.

The president’s brother, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned on Monday after supporters attacked peaceful protesters. According to the police, this conflict left at least nine dead and more than 225 injured.

A court in Colombo has banned the former prime minister, his son Namal, and 15 allies from leaving the country amid investigations into the violence.

This Thursday, authorities temporarily lifted the curfew to allow the population to stockpile essential products. The measure was reinstated six hours later.

Wickremesinghe is seen as a Western-oriented reformer who could easily negotiate bailouts with the IMF (International Monetary Fund).

“His appointment as Prime Minister and the rapid formation of an inclusive government are the first steps in dealing with the crisis,” Julie Chung, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, said on Twitter.

The main opposition party, SJB, was initially asked to head a new government, but its leader, Sajith Premadasa, insisted that the president should resign.

In recent days the party has split, and a dozen opposition lawmakers have pledged to support Wickremesinghe.