Sri Lankans vote in key parliamentary election
Sri Lankans are going to polls today in a pivotal parliamentary election, mere weeks after electing Anuara Kumara Dissanayake as President. With 17.1 million eligible voters participating, the election will determine 225 parliamentary seats from a field of 8,800 candidates, representing 49 political parties and 284 independent groups.
A robust security presence includes 70,000 police officers and 11,000 army soldiers stationed across 13,400 polling stations. Early voter turnout reached 20-25% by mid-morning, with citizens queuing at polling booths before they opened.
The election unfolds against the backdrop of persistent economic challenges following the 2022 crisis that ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Despite a $3 billion IMF bailout package secured by his successor Ranil Wickremesinghe, economic hardship continues to affect many Sri Lankans. The poverty rate has climbed to 25.9% over the past four years, with World Bank projections showing a modest 2.2% economic growth for 2024.
President Dissanayake's National People's Power alliance (NPP), previously holding just three parliamentary seats, is expected to secure a working majority. However, analysts suggest coalition-building may be necessary to achieve the two-thirds majority needed for major reforms.
The electoral process employs a mixed system where 196 MPs are directly elected, with remaining seats allocated through proportional representation. Campaign activities have been notably peaceful, with minimal violence and no reported poll-related deaths, though only about 1,000 candidates actively campaigned.
The country continues to face significant challenges, including high inflation, food and fuel shortages, and the aftermath of its first foreign debt default in 2022.
Poll monitoring groups express optimism about the peaceful nature of the election, marking a departure from the historically more turbulent electoral processes in Sri Lanka.
