Sri Lanka is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic,whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government,and it relies on a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament. For decades,the party system was dominated by the socialist Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the conservative United National Party. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Sri Lanka's politics reflect the historical and political differences between the three main ethnic groups,the Sinhala majority and the Tamil and Muslim minorities,who are concentrated in the north and east of the island.
The United National Party,often abbreviated as UNP,is a centre-right political party in Sri Lanka. The UNP has served as the country's ruling party,or as part of its governing coalition,for 38 of the country's 74 years of independence. This includes the periods 1947–1956,1965–1970,1977–1994,2001–2004,and 2015–2019. The party also controlled the executive presidency from its formation in 1978 until 1994.
The United National Front (UNF) later the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) is a political alliance in Sri Lanka formed by the United National Party,the alliance currently represents 7 parties including the largest Muslim party Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Sinhala Nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya. The UNF is former governing party in the Parliament of Sri Lanka. A new UNP led alliance,the National Democratic Front (NDF) is in the process of being formed for future elections.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is a political party in Sri Lanka.
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake was a Sri Lankan politician who was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2005 to 2010 and has served as Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2002. He was a Member of Parliament representing Horana electorate and later Kalutara District.
Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya,MP is a Sri Lankan politician. He was the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Previously he was Mayor of Colombo from 1997 to 1999,Minister of Power and Energy from 2001 to 2004,Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs from 2007 to 2008,and Minister of Buddha Sasana,Public Administration,and Democratic Governance in 2015. He has served as Chairman of the Leadership Council of the United National Party (UNP),as well as Deputy Leader of the UNP. He is a member of parliament representing the Gampaha District since 2001. He had served as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to (Germany). As Speaker of Parliament,he also acts as Chairman of the Constitutional Council.
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was a Sri Lankan politician who served as a cabinet Minister and a Member of Parliament in Sri Lanka. He was a Roman Catholic and hailed from a minority ethnic group Colombo Chetties.
Udaya Prabath Gammanpila is a Sri Lankan nationalist politician. By profession,he is a computer engineer,lawyer and a politician. He is a former Minister of Energy and Member of Sri Lanka Parliament for Colombo District.
Savumiamoorthy Arumugam Ramanathan Thondaman was a Sri Lankan politician who served as a Cabinet Minister. He was the grandson of prominent unionist Saumyamoorthi Thondaman. He was the leader of the Ceylon Workers' Congress,a Member of Parliament representing the Nuwara Eliya District and was an advocate for the Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka. His career as a politician spanned over 20 years,holding several ministerial portfolios in different governments. He was regarded as one of the prominent politicians from Nuwara Eliya.
Sajith Premadasa,MP is a Sri Lankan politician. He is the current Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka and Member of Parliament for Colombo District. He is the current leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
Abdul Rauff Hibbathul Hakeem is a Sri Lankan politician and current member of parliament,representing the Kandy electorate since 2010. Hakeem is the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC),and a member of the United National Front for Good Governance.
Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne,known as D. M. "Di Mu" Jayaratne,was a veteran Sri Lankan politician who was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2015. A founding member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party,Jayaratne was first elected to parliament in 1970. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on 21 April 2010.
Sihabdeen Nijamudeen is a Sri Lankan politician and a former member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. He was the Deputy Minister of Public Estate Management and Development which governs estates including the Tea Estates of Sri Lanka.
Wijeyadasa Rajapakse,MP,PC is a Sri Lankan lawyer and politician. He is the current Minister of Justice and previously served in the same ministry from 2015 to 2017. He was the Prime Minister's nominee for the Constitutional Council During the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis,he had briefly served as the Minister of Education and Higher Education and his post was suspended by the court in 2018.
Mohammed Hussain Mohammed Ashraff was a Sri Lankan lawyer,politician,government minister and founder/leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.
The All Ceylon Makkal Congress is a registered political party in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 2005 by Rishad Bathiudeen. The All Ceylon Makkal Congress is a member of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG).
The National Congress is a registered political party in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 2004 by A. L. M. Athaullah. The National Congress is a member of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA).
Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 16 November 2019. The incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena's term of office would have ended on 9 January 2020. This was the first Presidential election in Sri Lanka where no sitting president,prime minister or opposition leader was contesting for president. Gotabaya Rajapaksa won this election to Sajith Premadasa.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya is a political party that is led by the opposition leader of Sri Lanka,Sajith Premadasa. The alliance was formed with the approval from the working committee of the United National Party (UNP) to contest the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election. On 11 February 2020 the election commission of Sri Lanka announced that they have accepted the party as a recognised political party in Sri Lanka. Ranjith Mandumabandara was named as the General Secretary of the party. Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU),Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) join the new alliance on 12 February 2020. Alliance won 54 seats and became the main opposition in just 6 months after its formation. While the alliance traces its 'roots' back (primarily) to the liberal-conservative principles of the UNP,some members of the Sri Lankan media argued that the SJB has over time moved to the (progressive/democratic) political centre and even espouses several social democratic (centre-left) ideals.
Arukathu Patabendige Jagath Pushpakumara,commonly known as Jagath Pushpakumara,is a Sri Lankan politician and Member of Parliament.
