How the Rajapaksa family fell after 15 years at the top in Sri Lanka

Analysis: Gotabaya Rajapaksa's authoritarianism and incompetence ended the family's political reign

For weeks protesters in Sri Lanka have chanted Go home Gota." Now Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the president, appears to be looking for one. His first stop was the Maldives, reached last night. The United Arab Emirates may be the final destination.

The Rajapaksa family's fall has been spectacular. It has resonated across the region, and well beyond. The ruler of Sri Lanka has been a high-profile casualty of the global cost of living crisis, analysts have said. In distant South Africa, a talk show host asked if the soaring cost of living there could spell the end for the ruling party. Others are asking the same question.