The promised resignation letter from the country’s absentee President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has finally arrived. It was sent by email to the Speaker of Parliament, who said he would authenticate it and make an announcement today. Rajapaksa quit after he arrived in Singapore – it’s unclear if he will seek to stay there or move on. His resignation isn’t a nicety – it triggers some important things. The first is PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s position as acting president is legitimised. And an election in Parliament for a new president can be held, most likely within the fortnight. Pundits say Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa are the frontrunners, but given the incumbent has close links to Rajapaksa and also promised to resign, it’s unlikely that protesters will go for it. It also means Rajapaksa no longer has legal immunity, which will be on his mind as he tries to find somewhere to live while the nation’s economic collapse that he oversaw continues to unfold. #SquizShortcut