Sri Lanka has a new president, but here's why many continue to protest

Sri Lanka's parliament elected longtime politician Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country's new president in a secret ballot on Wednesday. He previously served as prime minister to the former president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country a week ago after months of protests calling for his resignation.

Due to Wickremesinghe's close association with the former president, many protesters entered and torched his house last week, and have called on him to resign as well.

Wickremesinghe takes office as Sri Lanka's economy continues to face soaring inflation, and shortages of essential goods like food, fuel and medicine. Many Sri Lankans are still waiting hours in line to buy basic supplies, often at prices that have doubled or reported that 86% of families were either skipping meals, eating less or buying worse food.