Sri Lanka’s President Dissanayake made a smart decision to dissolve parliament after winning the presidential election on September 21. The national legislature was dissolved on September 24, and the election has been scheduled for November 14, 2024. Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka are increasingly becoming predictable regarding winners and losers. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) wanted a two-thirds majority in 2020, and the SLPP-led coalition won a two-thirds majority.
One of the reasons why the general elections lack excitement and unpredictability is that winning presidential candidates opt to dissolve parliament and go for fresh elections in the hope of capitalizing on the euphoria created by the presidential election results. It is the same logic that prompted President Dissanayake to dissolve parliament. This time, there are hardly any doubts about the victory of the JVP/NPP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National People’s Power). It will emerge as the single largest party in the national legislature. However, the question is, would the JVP/NPP win a clear majority on November 14?
The JVP/NPP presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented himself as the “change” candidate in the presidential election. However, after winning the presidential election, the Dassanayake administration has not demonstrated a keen interest in any substantial changes to the system. Not even policy changes have been announced as they continue with the key policies and practices of the previous governments, especially the government of Ranil Wickremesinghe. Many examples could be cited. The primary examples include the decision to continue with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) bailout deal, the decision to seek membership in BRICS, an emerging group of powerful states including China, India, and Russia, and the decision to continue with the fuel price formula system.
There could be three reasons why the present government has not introduced any significant changes. First, the government is inexperienced. The........