Sri Lankan President’s party leads local elections

Colombo

Sri Lanka's ruling National People's Power (NPP), led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, emerged as the largest party in 265 out of 339 local municipal councils in the country. Despite this, the NPP’s ability to form administrations in these councils is uncertain, as opposition groups hold more members in several areas.

The NPP secured over 4.5 million votes, or 43% of the total, a significant drop from the 68% it won in the November parliamentary election. The main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), won 21% of the votes, securing only 14 councils.

The local elections, postponed in 2023 due to the country’s economic crisis, saw more than 70% of registered voters participating. While the NPP did not win the local body in Colombo, securing just 48 out of 117 seats, opposition parties now consider forming alliances to challenge NPP dominance.

In the Tamil-majority north, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) party performed strongly, winning 43 of the 58 councils contested. This result highlights the shift in power since the NPP claimed to hold the mandate of the north following the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Though the NPP faces challenges in forming local governments, its general secretary, Tilwin Silva, expressed satisfaction, stating that the party's call for local government reforms had been supported by voters.