2019 Sri Lankan presidential election

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2019 Sri Lankan presidential election
← 2015 16 November 2019 2024 →
Turnout83.72%
 
Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa.jpg
Sajith Premadasa.jpg
Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa Sajith Premadasa
Party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna United National Party
Alliance Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance New Democratic Front
Popular vote 6,924,255 5,564,239
Percentage 52.25% 41.99%
Sri Lankan Presidential Election 2019 Polling Divisions.svg
polling divisions won by

  – Gotabaya Rajapaksa

  – Sajith Premadasa
President before election

Maithripala Sirisena
Sri Lanka Freedom Party

Elected President

Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 16 November 2019.[1][2] 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.[3]

The results were released on 17 November 2019 and Rajapaksa managed to cross the majority mark to win the election.[4]

Timeline[]

2018
2019
  • 9 January - President Maithripala Sirisena eligible to call for presidential elections anytime after this date.[2]
  • 31 January - President Sirisena is approved unanimously as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party's candidate during the Party's Anuradhapura district convention.[5][6]
  • 6 March - Gotabaya Rajapaksa submits application through the United States Embassy to renounce his US citizenship.[7]
  • 26 March - Gotabaya Rajapaksa travels to the United States for a personal visit, where he also expects to expedite his request to renounce his citizenship.[7][8]
  • 7 April - While in the United States, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is served with notice of two separate civil lawsuits against him in California, USA, over the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge as well as on behalf of a Tamil torture survivor .[9][10]
  • 12 April - Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns to Sri Lanka from the United States.[11]
  • 21 April - 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings
  • 27 April - Gotabaya Rajapaksa announces he will run for president.[12]
  • 11 August - Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Sri Lanka Podujana Party officially announces Gotabaya Rajapaksa to be its presidential candidate.[13]
  • 12 August - Several members of the United National Party organized a rally in Badulla to promote Sajith Premadasa as the UNP candidate even though the party has yet to name an official candidate. Sajith Premadasa clearly shows his intentions to run for the presidency.[14] All UNF mp's in Badulla attend to this rally, also Harsha , Eran , Ajith, Sujeewa, Ranith, Ranjith Aluwihare, Wasantha Aluwihare, Chandrani, Buddhika, , Ashok, and several mp's attended to it.
  • 18 August - Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka announced as the presidential candidate of the newly formed political alliance "National People's Power" in a rally held at Galle Face.[15]
  • 23 August - Huge rally in Matara, which is organized by Mangala Samaraweera to pledge support to Sajith as UNP candidate.
  • 5 September - Huge rally in Kurunegala, which is organized by all Kurunegala UNP mp's except Akila to support to Sajith as UNP candidate.
  • 5 September - Sri Lanka Freedom Party has informed the Elections Commission that they will be fielding a candidate for the upcoming presidential election[16]
  • 6 September - Prime minister and the leader of United National Party, Ranil Wickremesinghe reportedly expressed his intentions to be the presidential candidate of his party.[17]
  • 15 September - The National Elections Commission gets the power to call for a Presidential Election at any time[18]
  • 18 September -Department of government printing Sri Lanka gazetted an extraordinary gazette, no 2141/25 as the and noticed 7 October 2019 as date of nominations and, 16 November as the date of election with the consultation of the election commission Sri Lanka.
  • 24 September 2019 - Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe agreed to nominate UNP Deputy Leader minister Sajith Premadasa as the Presidential Candidate of the United National Front but need to be approved by the working committee of the party.[19]
  • 26 September 2019 - United National Party schedule its working committee meets at Sirikotha to select its candidate by party law.[20]
  • 26 September 2019 - Working committee of United National Party unanimously decided Sajith Premadasa as presidential candidate.
  • 29 September 2019 - Sri Lanka's ex-Army chief Mahesh Senanayake announced that he would contest for president under a non political National People's Movement (NPM), a collective of island-wide civil society organisations.[21]
  • 30 September -The Court of Appeal has decided to support the petition against recognizing former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a citizen of Sri Lanka on October 2.[22]
  • 1 October - Gotabaya Rajapaksa seek court permission to travel to Singapore from 9 to 12 October for a medical issue.[23]
  • 2 October - A three-judge bench of the Court of Appeal has commenced the petition filed against recognizing former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a Sri Lankan citizen.[24]
  • 3 October - United National Party holds its National Convention at the Sudathasada Indoor Stadium to officially name Sajith Premadasa as candidate to the public.[25]
  • 4 October - Charges against Gotabaya Rajapaksa's citizenship issue was dismissed by the court and allowed him to contest at the upcoming election.[26][27]
  • 5 October - The first ever Presidential debate among candidates took place.[28] All the main candidates except Gotabaya Rajapaksa took part in the event.[29]
  • 7 October - Nomination for the next president at 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. 33 candidates are set to be nominated.[30]
  • 9 October - Sri Lanka Freedom Party pledge to support SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.[31]
  • 15 October - Sri Lanka Muslim Congress pledge its support to Sajith Premadasa[32]
  • 15 October - pledge to support to Sajith Premadasa.[33]
  • 18 October - Ceylon Workers' Congress pledge to support SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.[34]
  • 18 October - Jathika Hela Urumaya holds National convention to announce its support to Sajith Premadasa.[35]
  • 4 November - Tamil National Alliance pledge support to Sajith Premadasa[36]
  • 5 November - SLFP Former President and daughter of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Chandrika Kumaratunga pledge support to Sajith Premadasa.[37][38]
  • 16 November- Election for the next president at 7.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.[30][39]
  • 17 November 2019 - President Maithripala Sirisena's 1st term of office ends.[2]
  • 18 November 2019 - Gotabaya Rajapaksa is inaugurated at Ruwanwelisaya.
  • 21 November 2019 - President appoints his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister.

Prior to the election[]

Sri Lankan recent election results
Dates of elections United National Party
(UNFGG) 		Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(UPFA) 		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Tamil National Alliance Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Independents
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
2015 Presidential election 6,217,162 51.28% [i] 5,768,090 47.58% － － － － － － － － － －
2015 Parliamentary election 5,098,916 45.66% [ii] 4,732,664 42.38% － － 515,963 4.62% 543,944 4.87% 44,193 0.40% 42,828 0.38%
2018 local elections 3,640,620 29.42% 1,497,234 12.10% 5,006,837 40.47% 337,877 2.73% 710,932 5.75% 92,897[iii] 0.75% 374,132 3.02%
Sri Lankan political map prior to this election
Presidential election, 2015 Parliamentary election, 2015
Wahlbezirkskarte Praesidentschaft Sri Lanka 2015.svg Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2015 - polling divisions.svg
Elected members of each electoral district or municipalities, gaining the highest number of votes:
  United People's Freedom Alliance
  United National Party/United National Front for Good Governance/New Democratic Front
  Tamil National Alliance

Poll prediction[]

Both main candidates have had their own surveys carried out with the results claiming victory for each of them.[40] Earlier circulated polls prediction which was claimed done by National Intelligence Service was proved false and manipulated.[41]

Nominations[]


Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna[]

After the massive victory they have got in Local Election, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is looking to run for the presidential election. Chamal, Basil and Gotabaya being mentioned as credible prospects.[42][43] Calls for Gotabaya Rajapaksa to run have been made though he is ineligible due to his possession of foreign citizenship.[44] Basil Rajapaksa also holds foreign citizenship and is therefore ineligible.[42] On 12 January he announced he was ready to run in the elections if he had the support for it.[45][46] Though his announcement stunned senior SLPP leaders who did not know beforehand.

Chamal Rajapaksa has also signalled his potential candidacy saying that he would "willingly consider it if the party nominates him as the next Presidential Candidate", soon after the announcement of his brother. Chamal Rajapaksa has not decided whether to contest from the SLFP or the SLPP but prefers a candidate that has the support of both. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the leading figure of the war victory of Sri Lanka and development process of Colombo metro region and northern province.[47][48][49]

In March Chamal denied that neither him nor Basil would contest but avoided commenting about Gotabaya while the SLPP announced that they favour Gotabaya unless someone better is found.[50]

Gotabaya already had a well organized campaign promoting him and according to D. B. S Jeyraj the Rajapaksa family has chosen to support Gotabaya as the candidate and is renouncing his US citizenship.[51]

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, on 11th of 6 days after the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings, announced his candidacy for president.[12] On 11 August Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Sri Lanka Podujana Party officially announces his brother Gotabaya to be its presidential candidate, while Mahinda runs as his Prime Ministerial candidate.[13][52][53]

United National Party (UNP)[]

United National Party did not field a presidential candidate in either the 2010 and 2015 elections and supported a common candidate. Even though they won the 2015 election and elected Maithripala Sirisena from their support, UNP expenditure for the election period is 500lkr million relations between the president and the UNP was shaky from the beginning. Power struggle between the president and UNP prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe led to the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis. In the aftermath of the events, most of the UNP members publicly expressed their regret supporting a common candidate in 2015 and promised to field their own presidential candidate in 2019 elections.[citation needed]

Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was the obvious choice for the candidacy and he reportedly expressed his intentions to run for the presidency in a meeting with other senior members.[17] Meanwhile, several rebel MPs including Mangala Samaraweera, Harin Fernando, Ajith Perera, Harsha de Silva, Sujeewa Senasinghe wanted deputy leader Sajith Premadasa as the candidate and organized a rally in badulla where Sajith himself openly expressed his intentions to be the UNP candidate[54]

With the growing support for the deputy leader Sajith Premadasa and party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe refusing to make a move, Speaker of the parliament Karu Jayasuriya released a statement signalling his intention to run for presidency to end the confusion and avoid a rift within the party[55] However Sajith faction showed that they has the popular support among party members and followers by organizing successful rallies in Matara[56] Kurunegala[57] and Matugama.[58]

On 26 September 2019, Working committee of United National Party unanimously decided Sajith Premadasa as the UNP presidential candidate. Announcing the official statement, general Secretary of the UNP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told that Ranil Wickremesinghe will continue to function as the Prime Minister and the Leader of the UNP.[citation needed]

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)[]

President and leader of the SLFP Maithripala Sirisena is eligible to run for a second term. Although he has previously stated, after being sworn in in 2015, that he would only serve the single term, he has since expressed his desire to stay on for a second term.[59][60] However, with many party seniors choose to support newly formed Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna led by former SLFP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, SLFP got weakened and suffered a heavy loss in 2018 Sri Lankan local elections, thus losing the credibility it had as the main opposition force to the UNP.[citation needed]

SLFP pledge to support SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 9 October.[31]

Individuals who have publicly expressed interest[]

Individuals in this section have expressed an interest in running for president, or have strong support from others, within the last six months.


National People's Power (NPP)[]

The National People's Power Movement announced Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka as the candidate in a massive rally on 18 August in the Galle Face.[64][65]

Candidates[]

Record 35 candidates have submitted their nominations on 7 October to the election commission[66]

Candidate Party Backed By Notes
1 Sajith Premadasa
New Democratic Front 		United National Party

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress

All Ceylon Makkal Congress

Jathika Hela Urumaya

Tamil Progressive Alliance

Tamil National Alliance

Son of Former President of Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa

Deputy leader of United National Party (2014–present)

Minister of Housing Construction and Cultural Affairs (2015–2019)

Deputy Minister of Health (2001-2004)

2 Gotabaya Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

Sri Lanka Freedom Party

Ceylon Workers' Congress

Mahajana Eksath Peramuna

Jathika Nidahas Peramuna

Lanka Sama Samaja Party

Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal

Eelam People's Democratic Party

Democratic Left Front

National Congress

Communist Party of Sri Lanka

Brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa

Secretary for the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development (2005-2015)

3 Anura Kumara Dissanayaka National People's Power Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

National Front for Good Governance (NFGG)

United Left Front

Leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (2014–Present)

Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation (2004-2005)

Chief Opposition Whip (2015-2018)

4 Mahesh Senanayake National People's Party National Peoples Movement Former Commander of Sri Lanka Army (2017-2019)

Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army

Jaffna Security Forces

52 Division

Special Forces Brigade

211 Infantry Brigade

Regimental Center Commandant, Special Forces Regiment

3rd Special Forces Regiment

1st Special Forces Regiment

5 Ajantha Perera Socialist Party of Sri Lanka Socialist Party of Sri Lanka Founder, National Programme on Recycling of Solid Waste [67][68]
6 Rohan Pallewatte National Development Front Abhiman Lanka[69] Executive Chairman of Lanka Harness Co. (Pvt) Ltd
7 Duminda Nagamuwa Frontline Socialist Party Frontline Socialist Party Propaganda Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party.

Contested in 2015 Presidential election receiving 9,941 votes.

8 Jayantha Ketagoda Independent
9 Siripala Amarasinghe[70] Independent
10 Aparekke Punnananda Thero Independent
11 Saman Perera Our Power of People Party
12 Ariyawansa Dissanayake Democratic United National Front
13 Sirithunga Jayasuriya United Socialist Party
14 Milroy Fernando Independent
15 Bedde Gamage Nandimithra Nava Sama Samaja Party
16 Vajirapani Wijesiriwardene Socialist Equality Party
17 Sarath Manamendra Nawa Sihala Urumaya
18 A. S. P. Liyanage Sri Lanka Labour Party
19 Samansiri Herath Independent
20 Sarath Keerthirathna Independent
21 Anuruddha Polgampola Independent
22 Samaraweera Weeravanni Independent
23 Ashoka Wadigamangawa Independent
24 Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero Jana Setha Peramuna
25 Illiyas Idroos Mohamed Independent
26 Piyasiri Wijenayake Independent
27 Rajiva Wijesinha Independent
28 Aruna De soyza Democratic National Movement
29 Ajantha de zoysa Ruhunu Janatha Peramuna
30 Namal Rajapaksa Nationalities Unity Organization
31 M. K. Shivajilingam Independent
32 M. L. A. M. Hizbullah Independent
33 Priyantha Edirisinghe Okkoma Wasiyo Okkoma Rajawaru Sanwidhanaya
34 Hassan Mohamed Alavi Independent
35 Subramanium Gunaratnam Our National Front

Results[]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Gotabaya RajapaksaSri Lanka Podujana Peramuna6,924,25552.25
Sajith PremadasaNew Democratic Front5,564,23941.99
Anura Kumara DissanayakaNational Movement for People's Power418,5533.16
Mahesh SenanayakeNational People's Party49,6550.37
M. L. A. M. HizbullahIndependent38,8140.29
Ariyawansa DissanayakeDemocratic United National Front34,5370.26
Ajantha PereraSocialist Party of Sri Lanka27,5720.21
Rohan PallewatteNational Development Front25,1730.19
Siripala AmarasingheIndependent15,2850.12
Milroy FernandoIndependent13,6410.10
M. K. ShivajilingamIndependent12,2560.09
Battaramulle SeelarathanaJana Setha Peramuna11,8790.09
Ajantha de ZoysaRuhunu Janatha Peramuna11,7050.09
Anuruddha PolgampolaIndependent10,2190.08
Namal RajapaksaNational Unity Alliance9,4970.07
Jayantha KetagodaIndependent9,4670.07
Duminda NagamuwaFrontline Socialist Party8,2190.06
Aparekke PunnanandaIndependent7,6110.06
Subramanium GunaratnamOur National Front7,3330.06
A. S. P. LiyanageSri Lanka Labour Party6,4470.05
Piyasiri WijenayakeIndependent4,6360.03
Aruna de ZoysaDemocratic National Movement4,2180.03
Rajiva WijesinhaIndependent4,1460.03
Illiyas Idroos MohamedIndependent3,9870.03
Siritunga JayasuriyaUnited Socialist Party3,9440.03
Sarath KeerthirathnaIndependent3,5990.03
Sarath ManamendraNew Sinhala Heritage3,3800.03
Pani WijesiriwardeneSocialist Equality Party3,0140.02
Ashoka WadigamangawaIndependent2,9240.02
A. H. M. AlaviIndependent2,9030.02
Saman PereraOur Power of People Party2,3680.02
Priyantha EdirisingheOkkoma Wesiyo Okkoma Rajawaru Sanwidhanaya2,1390.02
Samaraweera WeerawanniIndependent2,0670.02
Bedde Gamage NandimithraNava Sama Samaja Party1,8410.01
Samansiri HerathIndependent9760.01
Total13,252,499100.00
Valid votes13,252,49998.99
Invalid/blank votes135,4521.01
Total votes13,387,951100.00
Registered voters/turnout15,992,09683.72
Source: Election Commission

By district[]

Districts won by Rajapaksa
Districts won by Premadasa
Summary of the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election by electoral district[71]
Electoral
District		 Province Rajapaksa Premadasa Others Total
Valid		 Rejected
Votes		 Total
Polled		 Registered
Electors		 Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes %
Ampara Eastern 135,058 32.82% 259,673 63.09% 16,839 4.09% 411,570 3,158 414,728 503,790 82.32%
Anuradhapura North Central 342,223 58.97% 202,348 34.87% 35,775 6.16% 580,346 4,916 585,262 682,450 85.76%
Badulla Uva 276,211 49.29% 251,706 44.92% 32,428 5.79% 560,345 6,978 567,323 657,766 86.25%
Batticaloa Eastern 38,460 12.68% 238,649 78.70% 26,112 8.61% 303,221 4,258 307,479 398,301 77.20%
Colombo Western 727,713 53.19% 559,921 40.92% 80,543 5.89% 1,368,177 15,333 1,383,510 1,670,403 82.82%
Galle Southern 466,148 64.26% 217,401 29.97% 41,809 5.76% 725,358 5,878 731,236 858,749 85.15%
Gampaha Western 855,870 59.28% 494,671 34.26% 93,259 6.46% 1,443,800 15,751 1,459,551 1,751,892 83.31%
Hambantota Southern 278,804 66.17% 108,906 25.85% 33,664 7.99% 421,374 3,179 424,553 485,786 87.40%
Jaffna Northern 23,261 6.24% 312,722 83.86% 36,930 9.90% 372,913 11,251 384,164 564,714 68.03%
Kalutara Western 482,920 59.49% 284,213 35.01% 44,630 5.50% 811,763 6,847 818,610 955,079 85.71%
Kandy Central 471,502 50.43% 417,355 44.64% 46,018 4.92% 934,875 9,020 943,895 1,111,860 84.89%
Kegalle Sabaragamuwa 320,484 55.66% 228,032 39.60% 27,315 4.74% 575,831 5,152 580,983 676,440 85.89%
Kurunegala North Western 652,278 57.90% 416,961 37.01% 57,371 5.09% 1,126,610 8,522 1,135,132 1,331,705 85.24%
Matale Central 187,821 55.37% 134,291 39.59% 17,109 5.04% 339,221 3,252 342,473 401,496 85.30%
Matara Southern 374,481 67.25% 149,026 26.76% 33,361 5.99% 556,868 3,782 560,650 652,417 85.93%
Monaragala Uva 208,814 65.34% 92,539 28.95% 18,251 5.71% 319,604 3,000 322,604 366,524 88.02%
Nuwara Eliya Central 175,823 36.87% 277,913 58.28% 23,128 4.85% 476,864 7,155 484,019 569,028 85.06%
Polonnaruwa North Central 147,340 53.01% 112,473 40.47% 18,111 6.52% 277,924 2,563 280,487 326,443 85.92%
Puttalam North Western 230,760 50.83% 199,356 43.91% 23,860 5.26% 453,976 4,478 458,454 599,042 76.53%
Ratnapura Sabaragamuwa 448,044 59.93% 264,503 35.38% 35,124 4.70% 747,671 5,853 753,524 864,978 87.11%
Trincomalee Eastern 54,135 23.39% 166,841 72.10% 10,434 4.51% 231,410 1,832 233,242 281,114 82.97%
Vanni Northern 26,105 12.27% 174,739 82.12% 11,934 5.61% 212,778 3,294 216,072 282,119 76.59%
Total 6,924,255 52.25% 5,564,239 41.99% 764,005 5.76% 13,252,499 135,452 13,387,951 15,992,096 83.72%

Maps[]

  • Winners of polling divisions

  • Majorities according to polling divisions

  • Majorities according to electoral districts

Aftermath[]

Resignations[]

Minister Mangala Samaraweera informed President Maithripala Sirisena via a letter, that he will step down as Minister of Finance with immediate effect. The letter addressed to the President by Minister Samaraweera stated his opinion that the 2019 election was the most peaceful and fair election held in the recent past.[72]

In a tweet, Minister Harin Fernando said, respecting the people's mandate, he will step down as Minister of Sports, Telecommunications and Foreign Employment. He added, he will also be resigning from his positions at the United National Party. He also thanked everyone who supported him during his tenure and hoped that the good work done will be continued.[72]

Non-Cabinet Minister Ajith P. Perera via twitter said, while respecting the mandate of the people of Sri Lanka, he has decided to resign from his position as the Minister of Digital Infrastructure and IT with immediate effect. Tagging Sajith Premadasa he added, this was a well-fought battle and the country needs Sajith Premadasa's leadership at this critical time.[72]

State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene via Twitter congratulated Gotabaya Rajapakse for his victory in the election and said he will step down as State Minister of Defence. He added ”I hope we will be able to build a nation free of division that unites all communities to take this country forward”.[72]

Minister Kabir Hashim decided after the results were announced to resign as the Chairman of the United National Party and as the Minister of Highways, Road Development and Petroleum Resources Development.[72]

Issuing a statement, Minister Malik Samarawickrama said he will step down as Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade.[73]

Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka, resigned from his ministerial portfolio. In a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, he stated that he took this decision with respect to the people's mandate.[74]

International reaction[]

Supranational bodies
  •  European Union – A statement was issued noting that Sri Lanka's election process was peaceful and confirmed the stability of the democratic institutions, while saying the EU looks forward to working with the new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to continue improving human rights, reconciliation and good governance. While congratulating President Rajapaksa, the EU assured that it will remain fully supportive of the broader reform agenda in Sri Lanka.[75]
Nations
  •  China – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang expressed congratulations on the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.[76]
  •  India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted after Premadasa had conceded defeat, congratulating Rajapaksa.[77]
  •  Japan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced that Prime Minister ABE Shinzo sent a congratulatory message that he intends to further develop the Japan-Sri Lanka relationship to H.E. Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the new President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, upon his victory in the presidential election held on November 16 and his inauguration as the new president.[78]
  •  Iran – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi congratulated the Sri Lankan nation and president-elect on holding presidential elections successfully.[79]
  •  Maldives – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was the first world leader to congratulate Rajapaksa on his "resounding election victory".[77]
  •  Pakistan – Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement stating: "The Government and leadership of Pakistan warmly felicitate the newly-elected President".[80]
  •  Singapore - Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong issued a statement stating: "I am confident that you will be able to steward Sri Lanka through these challenges ably, and that Sri Lanka will make progress in achieving lasting peace and prosperity under your Presidency"[81]
  •  Russia - President Vladimir Putin issued a statement stating: "The Russian-Sri Lankan relations are of traditionally friendly nature, I wish you every success, good health and prosperity."[82]
  •  United States – The U.S. Embassy in Colombo in a statement said that "We commend the Elections Commission, civil society and government authorities for promoting a peaceful election. We are ready to continue our work with the new President and with all the people of Sri Lanka in supporting the country's sovereignty through heightened good governance, expanded economic growth, the advancement of human rights and reconciliation, and in fostering an Indo-Pacific region where all countries can prosper."[83]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ New Democratic Front candidate led by the United National Party
  2. ^ United National Front for Good Governance figures
  3. ^ The SLMC contested separately in 46 LA's and with the UNF in other LA's.

References[]

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