Sri Lanka cabinet clears proposal to clip President Rajapaksa's power

Decision follows announcement from main opposition party that it has garnered enough support for a no-trust vote against the government.

Sri Lanka’s cabinet approved a plan to abolish constitutional amendments that gave President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wide-ranging executive powers, acceding to one of the key demands from citizens protesting his economic policies as the ruling family tries to stay in office.

A proposal by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa--the president’s brother--to return to the 19th amendment of the constitution “with necessary changes” has been approved, government spokesman Rohan Welivita said in a statement Monday. He didn’t specify the changes. 

The decision follows an announcement from officials of the main opposition party earlier Monday that they have garnered enough support for a no-confidence vote against