November 16, Colombo (LNW): Manjula Gajanayake, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES), stated that Thursday’s Parliamentary Election results symbolize the electoral mandate of the March 2022 youth uprising, the ‘Aragalaya.’
Gajanayake noted that this marks the first time a single political party has secured a two-thirds majority in Parliament since Sri Lanka adopted the preferential electoral system in 1989, a feat he described as highly challenging under the current system.
He attributed the National People’s Power (NPP) party’s overwhelming success to its steadfast refusal to accept political crossovers and its inclusive policies, which resonated with Sri Lankans across all communities—irrespective of caste, creed, or ethnicity. The NPP became the first party to win voter confidence nationwide, spanning the North, South, East, and West.
Gajanayake urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to prioritize long-overdue constitutional reforms, which he said are eagerly anticipated by the people.
