By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's two main political parties are preparing to form a national unity government requested by the island nation's president.
The ruling United National Party (UNP), which emerged as the largest in parliament after Monday's election, and the opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) signed an agreement for a two-year coalition on Friday.
The SLFP had previously rejected the arrangement, which President Maithripala Sirisena has pushed for since taking office in January in order to push through a package of sweeping political reforms.
He called for Monday's election in June after proposals to reform the election process faltered in parliament. He has since taken more direct control of the SLFP, which he is leader of but vies for influence over with the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who headed the party until January.
Sirisena's main achievement since taking power has been to weaken the powers of the executive presidency by handing them over to parliament and independent commissions. The move was popular following Rajapaksa's rule, which was blighted by accusations of autocracy, corruption and nepotism.
Meanwhile, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as prime minister Friday, at a ceremony which was attended by Rajapaksa, who had attempted to win the role in the election and secure his own return to political power.
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