Sri Lankans give Anura Kumara Dissanayake a thumping victory in snap general election
Sri Lanka’s leftist president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has secured a decisive victory in the island nation’s snap general election, solidifying his mandate and significantly enhancing his legislative power to pursue critical policies aimed at alleviating poverty and combating corruption. The results, announced by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, show Dissanayake’s Marxist-leaning coalition, the National People’s Power (NPP), winning 107 seats out of the 225-member parliament with nearly 62% of the vote, or 6.8 million ballots. This overwhelming win pushes the coalition past the majority mark, with a two-thirds majority now within reach.
Dissanayake, a political outsider, had captured the presidency just a month earlier in September, marking a rare shift in a country traditionally dominated by family-based political dynasties. Prior to the general election, his NPP held only three seats in parliament, prompting the newly elected president to dissolve the legislature and call for fresh elections in a bid to secure broader support for his policies.
“This is a critical turning point for Sri Lanka,” Dissanayake said after casting his vote. “We expect a strong mandate to form a solid parliament, and the people have given us this opportunity. There is a change in Sri Lanka’s political culture that began in September, and it must continue.”
Celebrations were largely subdued, with only a small group of NPP supporters lighting fireworks on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital. The election saw a record 690 political parties and independent groups vying for seats across the island’s 22 electoral districts, with over 17 million voters eligible to cast their ballots for a five-year term.
In the race for second place, the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), led by Sajith Premadasa, won 28 seats, securing around 18% of the vote. Meanwhile, the New Democratic Front (NDF), supported by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, garnered just three seats, reflecting the deepening fragmentation of Sri Lanka’s political landscape.
A nation in recovery
The landslide victory comes at a pivotal moment for Sri Lanka, which is still grappling with the aftermath of its 2022 economic crisis. The nation’s financial meltdown, which led to a sovereign default and a sharp contraction in the economy, has left millions of Sri Lankans struggling with high inflation and a rising cost of living.
However, Dissanayake’s government has been buoyed by a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has begun to stabilize the economy. While the country’s gross domestic product shrank by 7.3% in 2022 and another 2.3% in 2023, the economic outlook shows tentative signs of recovery. Still, many citizens, particularly the poorest, remain deeply affected by the high cost of living.
As the newly empowered president seeks to implement his progressive agenda, he plans to cut taxes, support local businesses, and reinvest in social welfare programs to assist the millions still reeling from the crisis. Dissanayake has also committed to reducing the nation’s income tax burden, hoping to free up more resources for public welfare, but he faces the challenge of balancing this ambition with the IMF’s fiscal targets.
Despite some concerns from investors, Dissanayake’s administration is determined to modify the terms of the IMF bailout, a move that could risk delaying future financial disbursements and hinder Sri Lanka’s efforts to meet its primary surplus target of 2.3% of GDP by 2025.
In addition, Dissanayake has vowed to abolish Sri Lanka’s executive presidency—a controversial and highly centralized position that he believes has concentrated too much power in the hands of the president. However, achieving this goal will require a two-thirds majority in parliament, which appears increasingly likely as the NPP continues to gain traction.
Looking ahead
Dissanayake’s strong performance in the general election provides him with a clear path to begin implementing his ambitious policy agenda. While the NPP now controls a substantial portion of parliament, the president will still need to navigate the challenges of governance, including managing Sri Lanka’s fragile economic recovery and balancing the needs of domestic voters with the expectations of international creditors.
With a newly empowered legislative mandate, Dissanayake’s government faces a crucial test: whether it can deliver on promises to restore economic stability, reduce poverty, and overhaul the nation’s political system. As the dust settles from the election, all eyes will remain on Sri Lanka to see if this political shift can bring lasting change to the country’s fortunes.
