2024 Sri Lankan presidential election

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| <- 2022 | 21 September 2024 | 2029 ->

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Candidate  | Ranil Wickremesinghe | Sajith Premadasa | Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Party  | Independent | SJB | JVP
Alliance  |  | SJB | NPP

* * *

|  |  |
Candidate  | Namal Rajapaksa | P. Ariyanethiran | Sarath Fonseka
Party  | SLPP | Independent | Independent
Alliance  | SLPP |  |

* * *

|  |
Candidate  | Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe |
Party  | NDF |

* * *

| Incumbent President

Ranil Wickremesinghe
UNP

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Presidential elections will be held in Sri Lanka on 21 September 2024.[1][2] Voters will elect a president for a 5-year term. Incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe is running for re-election as an independent candidate.[3][4][5] This would make him the first incumbent president to run for re-election since Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2015. Other candidates include Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

## Background

[edit]

The last direct presidential elections held in Sri Lanka were in 2019, where SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the election in a landslide victory, defeating his main opponent Sajith Premadasa.[6][7] Rajapaksa would eventually resign on 14 July 2022 amidst the 2022 Sri Lankan protests.[8] This triggered an indirect presidential election via Parliament a week later, to elect a successor according to the Article 40 of the Constitution.[9] Then-incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was appointed by Rajapaksa just two months earlier, received the most votes and was sworn in as the 9th President of Sri Lanka on 21 July 2022.[10][11]

Article 40 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka states that "Any person so succeeding to the office of President shall hold office only for the unexpired period of the term of office of the President vacating office."[12] President Wickremesinghe's term is due to expire on 17 November 2024.[13]

Discussion of the 2024 election has been a major topic since the beginning of 2024 and the Election Commission stated that the election must be held between 17 September and 16 October as required by the Constitution. On 26 July, the Election Commission issued a Gazette notification declaring that the election will be held on 21 September 2024, while nominations for candidates will be accepted by 15 August. The commission chose to hold the election on a Saturday, saying that it wanted to ensure high voter turnout. The same day, Ranil Wickremesinghe announced his candidacy for president for a second term, as an independent candidate.[1][5]

Sri Lankan recent election results

Dates of elections  | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
(SLPFA) | Samagi Jana Balawegaya | National People's Power | Tamil National Alliance | United National Party | Others
Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %
2019 presidential election | 6,924,255  | 52.25%  | －  | －  | 418,553  | 3.16%  | －  | －  | 5,564,239  | 41.99%[i] | 345,452  | 2.35%
2020 parliamentary election | 6,853,690  | 59.09%  | 2,771,980  | 23.90%  | 445,958  | 3.84%  | 327,168  | 2.82%  | 249,435  | 2.15%  | 950,698  | 8.20%
Sri Lankan recent election results

2019 presidential election | 2020 parliamentary election

Elected members of each electoral district or municipality, gaining the highest number of votes
■ SLPFA ■ SJB ■ TNA ■ SLFP ■ EPDP ■ Other parties

## Electoral system

[edit]

The President of Sri Lanka is elected via limited ranked voting. Voters can express up to three ranked preferences for President. If no candidate receives over 50% of valid votes on the first count, all candidates except for the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes are eliminated. The second and third preferences of the eliminated candidates are distributed until one of the remaining two candidates receives an outright majority.[14] In practice, this system has seen little use, as each direct election going back to the first in 1981 has resulted in a candidate from one of the two major parties or alliances at the time winning in the first count. For this reason, many citizens opt to mark only one candidate, and many are wholly unaware that multiple candidates can be ranked at all.[15]

## Candidates

[edit]

The Election Commission accepted a total of 39 applications in the presidential election by the end of candidate registration on 15 August, the most for a presidential election in Sri Lanka.[16]

Candidate  | Political office and constituency  | Endorsements  | Notes  | Ref.

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Ranil Wickremesinghe (75)
Independent | Current President of Sri Lanka (since 2022)
Leader of the United National Party (since 1994)
Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1993–1994, 2001–2004, 2015–2018, 2018-2019, 2022) |

* United National Party
* Breakaway members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna[17]
* de facto Central committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party[18]
* Eelam People's Democratic Party[19]
* Mahajana Eksath Peramuna[20]

* Declared 26 July 2024
* Previously ran in 1999 and 2005.

| [4]

Sajith Premadasa (57)
Samagi Jana Balawegaya | Current Leader of the Opposition (since 2019)
Leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (since 2020)
Colombo |

* Samagi Jana Balawegaya
* All Ceylon Makkal Congress[21]
* Freedom People's Congress[22]
* Humane People's Alliance[23]
* Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Dayasiri faction)[24]
* Sri Lanka Muslim Congress[25]
* Tamil Progressive Alliance[26]
* United People's Freedom Alliance[27]
* United Republican Front[28]
* Up-Country People's Front[29]

* Declared 16 May 2023
* Son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa
* Previously ran in 2019.

| [30]

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (55)
National People's Power | Former Minister and Chief Opposition Whip (2015–2018)
Leader of the National People's Power (since 2015)
Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (since 2014)
Colombo |

* Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

* Declared 29 August 2023
* Previously ran in 2019.

| [31]

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka (73)
Independent | 5th Chief of the Defence Staff (2009)
Former Minister of Regional Development (2016–2018), Minister of Wildlife and Sustainable Development (2018)
18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (2005–2009)
Gampaha |  |

* Declared 25 July 2024
* Previously ran in 2010.

| [32]

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (65)
National Democratic Front | Former Minister of Justice (2022–2024)
Former Minister of Buddha Sasana (2015–2017), Minister of Higher Education (2018), Minister of Education (2018)
Colombo |

* Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Sirisena faction)

* Declared on 25 July 2024

| [33]

Namal Rajapaksa (38)
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna | Former Minister of Youth and Sports (2020–2022)
Hambantota |

* Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

* Declared on 7 August 2024
* Son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa
* Nephew of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa

| [34]

Dilith Jayaweera (56)
Mawbima Janatha Pakshaya | Chairman of the George Steuart Group, Derana Macro Entertainment (Television), Derana Macro Entertainment (Radio) and Liberty Publishers
Former Director of Citrus Leisure PLC, Colombo Land and Development PLC
Jt. Managing Director – Triad (Pvt) Ltd |

* Mawbima Janatha Pakshaya
* Sarvajana Balaya[35]

|  | [36]

Siritunga Jayasuriya
United Socialist Party | Perennial candidate  |  |

* Previously ran in 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2019.

| [37]
| P. Ariyanethiran (69)  | Former Member of Parliament (2004–2015)
Batticaloa |

* People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam
* Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
* Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
* Tamil People's Alliance
* Tamil National Party

* Declared on 8 August 2024

| [38]
| Roshan Ranasinghe (48)
Independent | Former Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs (2022–2023)
Polonnaruwa |  |  | [39]
| Priyantha Pushpakumara
Nava Sama Samaja Party |  |  |  | [40]
| K. R. Krishan
Arunalu Janatha Peramuna |  |  |

* Declared on 5 August 2024

| [41]
| Sarath Keerthirathna (73)
Independent | Former Deputy Minister |  |

* Previously ran in 2019.

| [42]
| M. Thilakarajah (50)
Independent | Member of Parliament (since 2015)
Nuwara Eliya |  |  | [40]
| Muhammad Ilyas
Independent |  |  |  | [40]
| A. S. P. Liyanage
Sri Lanka Labour Party | Perennial candidate  |

* Sri Lanka Labour Party

* Previously ran in 2010, 2015 and 2019.

| [43]
| P. W. S. K. Bandaranayake
Jathika Sanwardhana Peramuna |  |  |  | [37]
| Nuwan Bopage
People's Struggle Alliance | Human rights lawyer  |

* Aragalaya activists
* Frontline Socialist Party[44]
* New Democratic Marxist–Leninist Party[44]

|  | [45]

Oshala Herath (47)
New Independent Front | Social activist
Public Interest Litigant
Chairman of New Independent Front |

* New Independent Front

* Declared 19 June 2024

| [46][47]
| Pani Wijesiriwardena
Socialist Equality Party |  |  |  | [48]
| K. K. Piyadasa
Independent |  |  |  | [37]
| Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero (53)
Independent | Former Member of Parliament (2004–2010)
Colombo |  |  | [40]
| Siripala Amarasinghe
Independent | Former Member of Parliament |  |  |
| Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero
Janasetha Peramuna | Perennial candidate  |  |

* Previously ran in 2010, 2015 and 2019.

| [49]
| Sarath Manamendra
New Sinhala Heritage |  |  |  | [41]
| Ajantha de Zoysa
Ruhunu Janatha Party |  |  |  | [37]
| J. K. D. Wickramrathne
Ape Jana Bala Party |  |  |  | [40]

### Declined

[edit]

#### Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

[edit]

* Dhammika Perera, businessman, former Minister of Investment Promotion (2022), current Member of Parliament (since 2022)[50]
* Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 8th President of Sri Lanka (2019–2022)[51][52]
* Basil Rajapaksa, former Minister of Finance (2021–2022), former Member of Parliament (2007–2010, 2010–2015, 2021–2022)[53][ii]

#### Sri Lanka Freedom Party

[edit]

* Maithripala Sirisena, 7th President of Sri Lanka (2015–2019), current Member of Parliament (1989–2015, since 2020)[54]

## Opinion polls

[edit]

### Nationwide

[edit]

Date  | Polling firm  | Dissanayake
NPP | Premadasa
SJB | Wickremesinghe
UNP | Rajapaksa
SLPP | Others  | Lead  | Margin
of error  | Sample
size

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|  |  |  |
August 2024 | Helakuru | 85.8% | 3.4%  | 7.3%  | 1.4%  | 2.1%  | 78.5  |  | 18,056
July 2024 | Helakuru | 80% | 4%  | 14%  |  | 2%  | 66  |  | 30,862  | May 2024 | Institute for Health Policy | 39% | 38%  | 15%  | 7%  | —  | 1  | ±1–4%  | 17,751
April 2024 | numbers.lk | 46% | 22%  | 18%  | —  | 14%  | 24  | ±3.5%  | 2,048
April 2024 | Institute for Health Policy | 39% | 39% | 13%  | 9%  | —  | Tie  | ±1–4%  | 17,134
March 2024 | Institute for Health Policy | 44% | 41%  | 8%  | 7%  | —  | 3  | ±1–4%  | 16,661
February 2024 | Institute for Health Policy | 53% | 34%  | 6%  | 7%  | —  | 19  | ±1–4%  | 16,234
January 2024 | Institute for Health Policy | 50% | 36%  | 7%  | 7%  | —  | 14  | ±1–4%  | 15,590
December 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 50% | 33%  | 9%  | 8%  | —  | 17  | ±1–4%  | 14,941
October 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 51% | 30%  | 13%  | 6%  | —  | 21  | ±1–4%  | 13,935
September 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 46% | 29%  | 17%  | 8%  | —  | 17  | ±1–3%  | 13,431
August 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 38% | 35%  | 18%  | 9%  | —  | 3  | ±1–3%  | 12,848
July 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 39% | 33%  | 19%  | 9%  | —  | 6  | ±1–3%  | 12,269
June 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 40% | 35%  | 15%  | 9%  | —  | 5  | ±1–3%  | 11,926
May 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 38% | 34%  | 18%  | 10%  | —  | 4  | ±1–4%  | 11,897
April 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 45% | 37%  | 13%  | 6%  | —  | 8  | ±1–4%  | 11,367
March 2023 | Institute for Health Policy | 48% | 37%  | 11%  | 4%  | —  | 11  | ±1–5%  | 10,601

### Favourability ratings

[edit]

#### January 2024

[edit]

In IHP SLOTS polling, all major party candidates continued to have negative favourability ratings. The net favourability rating of NPP/JVP candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayaka increased by 12 points to -10 whilst the favourability ratings of SJB candidate Sajith Premadasa and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe each decreased by 9 points to -53 and -77 respectively.[55]

#### March 2024

[edit]

In IHP SLOTS polling, net favourability rating of SJB leader Sajith Premadasa increased 30 points to -30 in March compared to the previous month while favourability ratings of NPP/JVP leader AK Dissanayake and Pres. Ranil Wickremasinghe remained relatively unchanged at -24 (-2) and -78 (+1) respectively.[citation needed]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ New Democratic Front candidate led by the United National Party
2. ^ Not eligible to run for president due to being a dual citizen.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Sri Lanka presidential election set for September 21 amid ailing economy". Al Jazeera. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
2. ^ "Sri Lanka to hold presidential election on Sept. 21". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
3. ^ "Ranil to contest Presidential election, hints at poll early next year - Top Story | Daily Mirror". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
4. ^ a b "Presidential Election: Bonds placed for Ranil to contest as independent candidate". Ada Derana. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
5. ^ a b "President Ranil Wickremesinghe officially announces candidacy for Sri Lankan presidency". Deccan Herald. PTI. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
6. ^ "November Lanka polls to test India's presence in southern Indian Ocean region". Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury. The Economic Times. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
7. ^ "Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins the election as Premadasa concedes defeat to the former". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
8. ^ "Sri Lanka: President Gotabaya has officially stepped down". Newsfirst. 15 July 2022. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
9. ^ Ondaatjie, Anusha; Sirimanne, Asantha (12 July 2022). "Sri Lanka Latest: Parliament to Elect New President July 20". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
10. ^ Stepansky, Joseph (20 July 2022). "Sri Lanka live news: Ranil Wickremesinghe elected president". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
11. ^ "Sri Lanka gets new President: Ranil Wickremesinghe". News First. 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
12. ^ "Presidential Elections (Special Provisions) Act". LawNet. Parliament of Sri Lanka. 1981. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
13. ^ "2024 Presidential Election to be held on September 21". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
14. ^ Presidential Elections Act, No 15 of 1981
15. ^ Gajanayake, Manjula; Siriwardana, Thusitha; Isuranga, Hirantha; Jayasinghe, Pasan (2019). "2019 Sri Lankan Presidential Election: Election Observation Report" (PDF). Centre for Monitoring Election Violence. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
16. ^ "39 candidates are approved for Sri Lanka's presidential election, the highest number ever". Associated Press. 2024-08-16. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
17. ^ "Prez Poll: SLPP faction backing Ranil poised to launch new party". Ada Derana. 2024-08-10. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
18. ^ "SLFP Decides To Back Ranil For President". Newsfirst. 2024-07-31. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
19. ^ "EPDP vows to support President at September Poll". Daily News. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
20. ^ "Dinesh leaves Rajapaksas and supports Ranil". Newswire. 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
21. ^ "Bathiudeen pledges support to Sajith". Daily News. 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
22. ^ "Dissident Sri Lanka ruling party group to back main opposition SJB: MP". EconomyNext. 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
23. ^ "Humane People's Alliance inks agreement with Samagi Jana Sandhanaya". Newsfirst. 2024-08-13. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
24. ^ "Dayasiri to back Sajith in Presidential Election". Ada Derana. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
25. ^ "SLMC to offer conditional support to Sajith in prez poll". Ada Derana. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
26. ^ "Tamil Progressive Alliance to support Sajith in Presidential Election". Ceylon Daily News. 2024-08-06. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
27. ^ "SLFP and UPFA faction back Sajith Premadasa in Presidential Election". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
28. ^ "Patali Champika to support Sajith in Presidential Election". Ada Derana. 2024-08-14. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
29. ^ "Kandura Janata Peramuna decides to support Sajith! Radhakrishnan tells in Nuwara Eliya! Join SJB alliance on the 8th!". Mawrata News. 2024-08-04. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
30. ^ "Sajith Premadasa named as SJB Presidential Candidate". Newswire. 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
31. ^ "JVP on the track before race is announced". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
32. ^ "Sarath Fonseka to Contest Presidential Election". Newsfirst. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
33. ^ "Sri Lanka's justice minister to run for president". EconomyNext. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
34. ^ "Namal Rajapaksa Announced As Candidate For Sri Lankan Presidency". NDTV. 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
35. ^ "Sarvajana Balaya to hold first political rally in Nugegoda today". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
36. ^ "Dilith Jayaweera was named as Sarva Jana Balaya Presidential Aspirant". Lankasara. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
37. ^ a b c d "Four more candidates place election deposits; total now at 10". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
38. ^ "Some Tamil parties field common candidate". The Island. 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
39. ^ "Roshan Ranasinghe to also contest presidential candidacy". Ada Derana. 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
40. ^ a b c d e "Presidential candidate count rises 27". Daily Mirror. 2024-08-10. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
41. ^ a b "Presidential Election - 17 candidates listed so far (Full list)". Hiru News. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
42. ^ "EC begins accepting deposits; Sarath Keerthirathna first to submit bond". Daily Mirror. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
43. ^ "Four candidates place cash deposits for Sri Lanka's presidential election". EconomyNext. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
44. ^ a b "Aragalaya activists, political parties launch political alliance". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
45. ^ "Nuwan Bopage named Presidential candidate of Aragalaya activists". Daily Mirror. 2024-07-29. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
46. ^ "Social activist Oshala Herath to contest Presidential Election". Newswire. 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
47. ^ "Details of Recognized Political Parties".
48. ^ "SEP (Sri Lanka) presidential candidate holds Colombo press conference". World Socialist Web Site. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
49. ^ malinga (2024-07-26). "Ven. Seelarathana forgets wallet, to return again to place bond". DailyNews. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
50. ^ "Namal tipped to be named SLPP presidential candidate as Dhammika Perera pulls out". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
51. ^ "Rajapaksa to seek second term as Sri Lanka crisis deepens". France 24. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
52. ^ "Sri Lanka President Vows to Finish Term, Won't Run for Re-Election". Bloomberg.com. 6 June 2022.
53. ^ "Basil will contest for President in 2024, says SLPPS Ranjith Bandara". 7 July 2021.
54. ^ "Ex-Sri Lanka president Sirisena to run again; apologises to Catholics, compares self to Mandela". EconomyNext. 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
55. ^ "AK Dissanayake sees favourability ratings improve, but other party leaders see declines in January 2024". ihp.lk. Retrieved 2024-02-26.

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