By Dulmi Thimansa
On November 14, 2024, Sri Lanka held its first parliamentary elections after a four-year interval. The National People’s Power (NPP), also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya, emerged as the dominant political force.
The party secured 141 seats in parliament along with an additional 18 seats from the national list, for a total of 159 seats, earning more than two-thirds majority. This marks the highest number of seats ever obtained by a single party in Sri Lankan parliamentary history.
The achievement is particularly significant given that they held only three seats in the previous parliament and were derided by supporters of the then government and main Opposition as the party of the three percent. Since its inception, the NPP has pursued the ambitious goal of becoming a transformative political force in Sri Lanka.
The 2024 elections were shaped by several critical factors that contributed to the NPP’s success. Chief among them was the growing discontent among the electorate with previous administrations. Years of mismanagement, widespread corruption, and a perceived disconnect between lawmakers and the public created a deep sense of frustration.
These grievances were further exacerbated by economic instability, inefficiencies in public services, and a lack of accountability, of which key examples include the VFS scandal, one of many which ultimately brought the government down.
The NPP’s policies and campaign messaging resonated strongly with the electorate, offering a clear alternative to the status quo. The party positioned itself as a champion of systemic reform, promising to dismantle the culture of corruption and inefficiency that had plagued successive governments.
This message of accountability, integrity, and transparency struck a chord with voters who were eager for meaningful change. This approach resonated particularly strongly with the nation’s youth, who became a key demographic in propelling the NPP to its electoral success.
Moreover, the NPP’s strategic focus on collective governance over individualism played a pivotal role in its success.
By emphasizing the importance of voting for the party and its policies rather than individual candidates, the NPP sought to shift the electorate’s mindset toward prioritizing institutional reform. Their campaign of rooting out corruption and building a more accountable government provided hope to a population disillusioned by decades of unmet promises.
The party’s ability to attract support across ethnic and demographic lines further reinforced its appeal. The NPP not only gained traction in traditionally loyalist regions – the southwestern quadrant in Sri Lanka – but also made inroads into Tamil-majority areas, a testament to its unifying message and inclusive policy framework.
Excluding Batticaloa, the NPP successfully elected a total of 10 Tamil Members of Parliament (MPs). The elected MPs include three from Jaffna, two each from Vanni and Badulla, and one each from Nuwara Eliya, Matara, and Batticaloa. Furthermore, the NPP’s commitment to inclusive representation was further reinforced with the nomination of one Tamil MP through the party’s National List.
With a strong mandate to govern, the NPP now faces the challenge of delivering on its promises and meeting the high expectations of the electorate. Their success in this endeavor could redefine the political and governance landscape of Sri Lanka for years to come.
The NPP’s sweeping mandate extended across the nation, including several Tamil-majority areas, reflecting a significant shift in voter sentiment, despite these regions favoring other parties during the presidential election. Within a relatively short period, the NPP successfully repositioned itself as a unifying political force, attracting supporters from diverse political backgrounds.
This was largely achieved through a strategic campaign centered on their overarching vision, famously articulated as “පාර්ලිමේන්තුව මාලිමාවෙන් පුරවමු” (“Let’s fill parliament with NPP”). The party consistently emphasized the importance of the collective party agenda rather than individual candidates, focusing on institutional change over personal politics – even if this was criticized by some as evidence of the party’s lack of internal democracy.
Despite the NPP’s historic victory, voter turnout in the parliamentary elections was low compared to previous years, with only 65% of eligible voters casting their ballots.
The recent election marked a significant milestone in advancing inclusive governance, highlighted by record-breaking levels of women’s and youth representation in parliament. The newly elected parliament includes 21 women, 19 of whom are NPP members, representing a notable improvement for a country trailing behind its South Asian counterparts in female political participation. Previously, Sri Lanka’s parliament had only 12 women, accounting for a mere 5.8% of total members.
Sri Lanka’s lack of female representation was further underscored during the recent presidential election, where no women contested the race. Dr Harini Amarasuriya’s appointment as Prime Minister has, however, encouraged discussions on increasing female participation across political parties.
While these developments are promising, the composition of the new cabinet has raised some concerns. Of the 21 cabinet members, only two are women, which some critics view as a missed opportunity to further strengthen gender representation in key leadership roles. This disparity highlights the ongoing challenges in achieving balanced representation at the highest levels of governance, even amidst broader efforts to promote inclusivity.
Furthermore, over 140 newly elected members are complete newcomers to the parliament – though not necessarily to the political system. The new parliament convened on October 18, 2024, introducing a reshuffled cabinet comprising 21 ministers. This assembly signifies a significant break from tradition, featuring a complete overhaul of leadership with many veteran politicians making way for newcomers.
A notable characteristic of this new parliament is the high level of professional expertise among its members. All 159 representatives from the NPP are well-educated professionals, hailing from diverse fields, underscoring a commitment to utilizing specialized knowledge and skills for effective governance in Sri Lanka.
Of particular significance was the appointment of Sugath Wasantha De Silva, the first visually impaired individual to serve as a Member of Parliament. His appointment more or less provides a voice for the disabled community in the country’s legislative processes.
As Sri Lanka leaves behind what the NPP frequently calls a 75-year curse – elite domination of national politics – such milestones are crucial in the road towards greater inclusivity and political participation in “Asia’s oldest democracy.”
Dulmi Thimansa is a student of international relations and diplomacy who works as a research intern at Factum. She can be reached at dulmi@factum.lk.
Factum is an Asia-Pacific-focused think tank on International Relations, Tech Cooperation, and Strategic Communications accessible via www.factum.lk.
The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the organization’s.
