Anura Kumara Dissanayake may lack the political lineage of some of his rivals, but his leftist policies to help the poor and stirring speeches have made him a leading candidate in Sri Lanka's presidential election on Saturday.

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis resulted largely from excessive borrowing on projects that did not generate revenue.

Sri Lankans began voting Saturday in a presidential election that will determine the course of the country's recovery from its worst economic crisis and resulting political upheaval. The election, contested by 38 candidates,