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A parliamentary majority would be an asset for Dissanayake, who was elected on the promise of fighting corruption and restoring stability
Sri Lanka's new leader's left-wing alliance is on course for a landslide victory in the country's snap parliamentary elections, official results show.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's National People's Power (NPP) coalition has already won 141 seats – close to the 150-seat threshold to ensure a majority in the 225-member House – with more seats to be declared.
Dissanayake, elected in September, needed a clear majority to deliver on his promise to fight corruption and restore stability after the worst economic crisis the island has ever seen.
The high cost of living was a top issue for many voters.
Analysts expected the NPP to perform well in the elections, but what remained to be determined was the margin of victory and whether it would secure the desired two-thirds majority to pass its ambitious reforms.
In the outgoing assembly, Dissanayake's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Party (JVP), which now leads the NPP, had only three seats.
The 55-year-old had earlier told reporters that he believed it was “a crucial election that will mark a turning point in Sri Lanka”.
Sajith Premadasa, the man defeated by Dissanayake in the presidential elections, led the opposition alliance.
Dissanayake called for early elections shortly after assuming the presidency in order to seek another term to continue his policies. It was “useless to continue with a Parliament that does not correspond to what the people want,” he declared.
Nearly two-thirds of former MPs chose not to run in the elections, including prominent members of the former ruling Rajapaksa dynasty.
Of the 225 seats in Parliament, 196 deputies were directly elected. The others were appointed by the parties based on the percentage of votes they obtain in what is called proportional representation.
High inflation and shortages of food and fuel precipitated a political crisis in 2022 that led to the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. His successor Ranil Wickremesinghe managed to negotiate a bailout worth $3 billion with the International Monetary Fund – but many Sri Lankans continue to feel economic hardship.
“We are still struggling with the problems we faced before. We still have no financial help even to meet our daily needs,” said Manjula Devi, 26, a garment factory worker , who works in the Katunayake free zone, near Colombo. told the BBC.
The number of people living below the poverty line in Sri Lanka has increased to 25.9% over the past four years. The World Bank expects economic growth of just 2.2% in 2024.
Disenchantment with established political actors greatly helped the left-wing Dissanayake in the September elections. His party traditionally supports strong state intervention and lower taxes, and campaigns for left-wing economic policies.
Dissanayake made history as the first president of Sri Lanka to be elected with less than 50% of the vote. Many observers believe his alliance will do better this time.
The evolution of its alliance will be partly due to a fragmented opposition – with many leaders and parties splitting into smaller groups or running as independent candidates.
Observers say the JVP-led alliance ran a more dynamic campaign than the opposition.
The coalition will now be under massive pressure to deliver on and deliver on its election promises.
Sri Lanka's economic situation remains precarious – and the focus remains on the delivery of essential goods and services. How the country moves forward from this point will be a real challenge for the new government.
Additional reporting by Kelly Ng
