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Home , Maithripala Sirisena, Ranil Wickremesinghe

Topic of the week for discussion: 20th to 26th Aug 2015

Topic: A Vote for Continuing Change

There are 2 main groups, Total seats: 225 for Prime Minister Elections out of which 196 is to filled through elections and rest by nominations.

1. (UNP) led- (UNFGG) United National Front for good governance; 106 votes

2. led- (UPFA) United People’s Freedom Alliance; 95 votes

President of : Maithripala Srisena (UPFA)

There are two significant political consequences following Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections. First, the majority of voters have given a verdict in favour of completing the partial political change that began with the presidential election of January 8 this year in which Sirisena was chosen as President whereas Rajapaksa had been the for consecutive 9 years. Secondly, and no less important, it has ruined the hopes of the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to return to power as Prime Minister.

Parliament was dissolved on June 27 under some peculiar circumstances, although it could continue till April 2016. President and the coalition that backed him had promised during the election campaign to call fresh parliamentary elections after 100 days of assuming office.

Seven months after the presidential elections that saw President Mahinda Rajapaksa being defeated by a coalition of disparate forces, the strongman has been dealt another blow in the parliamentary

elections. United National Party leader (UNP) and presumptive Prime Topic Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe’s United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) emerged as the largest coalition with about 46 per Introduction cent of the votes. It is set to form the government with likely support from the and parties such as the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. The coalition that defeated Mr. Rajapaksa was intact in these elections, as President Maithripala Sirisena had also endorsed the UNFGG, scotching any speculation that he would back Mr. Rajapaksa’s comeback bid. The coalition was bolstered by strong support from the minorities yet again, and by the UNP’s surge in votes among the Sinhala population. It also benefited from the President’s rural electoral base.

The fact that Mr. Rajapaksa’s party still managed to retain a nearly 43 per cent vote share (from preliminary estimates) suggests that the winners have no reason to be complacent. That said, the UNP victory is a reiteration of the message from the presidential elections — against the authoritarianism associated with Mr. Rajapaksa’s tenure, and the narrow communal campaigning style he adopted in these elections. His defeat reinforces the message for democratisation and the politics of reconciliation that the electorate had supported in the presidential elections. His defeat reinforces the message for democratisation and the politics of reconciliation that the electorate had supported in the presidential elections.

Steps taken to empower democratic institutions such as the Constitutional Council, and the creation of independent commissions as a check on the executive presidency, seem to have gone down well. So has the fixing of a two-term limit for the President. These were seen as a negation of the authoritarian and nepotistic trend of the Rajapaksa regime, which thrived on militarisation. This victory will enhance the credibility, internationally, of the government’s efforts to aid a process of reconciliation and rehabilitation of the war-affected Tamil minorities, something that remains unrealised six years since the end of the horrific civil war.

Marking the beginning of a new chapter in the contemporary political , the Parliament adopted the 19th Constitutional Amendment with an overwhelming majority. The legislation envisages the dilution of many powers of Executive Presidency, which had been in force since 1978.

At a marathon sitting that lasted over 12 hours, the 225-strong Parliament cleared the Bill with 212 members voting in favour of the legislation. Ten members were absent. While one voted against the Bill, another member abstained from the voting.

Speaker adjourned the House.

Important features of the Bill are:

1. The reduction in the terms of President and Parliament from six years to five years;

2. Re-introduction of a two-term limit that a person can have as President

3. The power of President to dissolve Parliament only after four and a half years [unlike one year, as prevalent now];

4. The revival of Constitutional Council and the establishment of

independent commissions.

Though the abolition of the Executive Presidency was the major electoral

promise of Mr Sirisena, the Supreme Court, in its ruling early this month,

held that certain provisions, such as those making Prime Minister the head of

Cabinet and empowering PM to determine the size of Cabinet, would require

a referendum. So, the President remains the head of Cabinet. However, he

can appoint Ministers on the advice of Prime Minister.

Read further: https://www.google.co.in/search?q=srilanka+elections+summary&ie=utf-8&oe=utf- 8&gws_rd=cr&ei=h07UVbHoOqWvmAWhgL_4Cg#q=srilanka+elections+latest

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-parliamentary-election-rajapaksa-concedes- defeat/article7552952.ece

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/18/us-sri-lanka-election-idUSKCN0QN05W20150818

http://news.yahoo.com/sri-lanka-elections-focus-ex-strongman-003300414.html