ISAS South Asia Discussion Papers

The Gotabaya Rajapaksa government won a landslide victory at the general election in August 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While his administration’s victory was anticipated, securing a two-thirds majority was historic and unprecedented. The key themes of national security, centralised leadership and economic development that dominated the parliamentary polls were similar to those brought up during the 2019 presidential elections. The election saw the emergence of two new parties, Gotabaya’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and Samagi Jana Balawegaya, which were the frontrunners. On the other hand, the two oldest and biggest political parties in the country, the United National Party and Sri Lanka Freedom Party, were relegated to the background.

The Institute of South Asian Studies and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Political Dialogue Asia hosted a panel discussion (webinar) on ‘The 2020 Parliamentary Election: The Road Ahead for Sri Lanka’ in August 2020. This series of papers is the outcome of the joint panel discussion. They provide important insights into the socio-political, economic, security and international challenges confronting Gotabaya’s government.