Impact Of Presidential Elections On Politics In Sri Lanka

By G K Nathan -January 5, 2015

Dr. G K Nathan

Sri Lanka will face another couple of days of drama before Sri Lankans exercise their democratic rights to decide, whether they wish to regain the democracy they had under “Westminster parliamentary system of government” since Independence in 1948 or approve the continuation of the “Presidential system of government” under the current President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He passed the 18th amendment and laid the foundation to stay in power for life by overriding the current limit of two to unlimited terms of presidency. 

The other key candidate at this election is Maithripala Sirisena, former cabinet minister and Secretary General of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), he resigned from the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and contesting as the “common opposition consensus candidate” supported by: divided SLFP as both candidates are from the SLFP; the United National Party (UNP), the main opposition in the parliament; Tamil National Alliance (TNA), represents the majority of Tamils from the North East Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC), both parties represent the majority of Island wide Muslim population; Hill country Tamils have a number of political parties which are divided between the two candidates and in addition, there are a number of minor parties. Both key candidates have declined to make any commitment to recognition of minority Nations’ political rights or implement rights granted in the Sri Lanka constitution under the 13th Amendment. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been in power for 10 years and has been an impediment to sharing of powers, so far. The current situation in Sri Lanka shows that re-elected President will go about establishing dynastic rule, while the country will face more challenges from the International community. Current President thinks that China will come to his help, if history is any lesion, when “Middle East Spring” took place against the Head of Governments, most of them were friendly with China, it failed go to their help. If PresidentMaithripala Sirisena is elected, what he can implement will depend on what level of support is given to him in the Parliament is unknown, but has made a commitment to scrap the Presidential system of government and give power back to the Parliament and to the peoples in the country; this announcement gives hope to all the Nations within the country, which is the reason why all minority Nations have lend their support to Maithripala Sirisena. Taking note of the views of people with respect to presidential system of government, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is making statements about changes that he proposes to bring about, if he is re-elected once again. Past is any record, he failed to honour the promises made on scrapping the Presidential system of government for the last ten years, even though had two-third majority in his second term of Presidency. On the contrary President Mahinda Rajapaksa has set the scene for anyone to become a President of Sri Lanka for life and he is standing first in the queue, as the contestant in this election. The majority of voters have to answer whether to keep the Presidential system of government leading to family dynasty or revert back to Parliamentary system of government to give the power back to people at the election on 8th January 2015, which will give the people, the choice to whom to vote.Read More