Sri Lanka
Parliament
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Presidential-Parliamentary
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
View field in the data dictionary -
Unicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
View field in the data dictionary -
Yes
Election results
Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.
Background
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Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
View field in the data dictionary -
17 Aug 2015
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
View field in the data dictionary -
26 Jun 2015
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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Delayed elections
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Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
View field in the data dictionary -
225
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Full renewal
Candidates
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Number of parties contesting the election
This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
View field in the data dictionary -
36
Notes: Number of parties contesting the election: 12 political parties and 24 independent groups
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Total number of candidates
Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
View field in the data dictionary -
6,151
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Number of male candidates
Number of male candidates
View field in the data dictionary -
5,595
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Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
View field in the data dictionary -
556
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Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
View field in the data dictionary -
9.0%
Voter turnout
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Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
View field in the data dictionary -
15,044,490
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Voters
Number of people who actually voted
View field in the data dictionary -
11,684,111
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Voter turnout
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
View field in the data dictionary -
77.7%
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) won the elections as the largest party in a coalition known as the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG, see note). The UNFGG took 11 more seats than the opposition coalition, the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), led by former President Mahinda Rajapakse. The UPFA includes the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which is headed by incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena. Despite belonging to an opposition coalition, some SLFP members opposed Mr. Rajapakse and allied themselves to the governing coalition, the UNFGG. During the elections, the major parties promised good governance, transparency, economic progress and stability in the country. On 21 August, Mr. Wickremasinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister. Later that day, the UNP and the SLFP signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a new government. The two parties agreed to work together for at least two years. The 46-member Cabinet, formed in September, comprises 33 ministers from the UNFGG and 13 ministers from the SLFP.
The 2015 elections were the first to be held under President Sirisena, the former health minister, who defeated the long-serving President Rajapaksa in presidential elections, held in January 2015. In keeping with the new President's electoral promise, Parliament passed the 19th amendment to the Constitution on 28 April 2015. In particular the amendment re-introduced a two-term limit for each President (lifted in 2010 under President Rajapaksa) and removed the President's power to dissolve Parliament until it has completed four-and-a-half years of its five-year term. Before the amendments, the President could dissolve Parliament after only one year.
Note:
The UNFGG included the UNP, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) as well as SLFP members who opposed former President Rajapakse.
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Number of parties winning seats
The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
View field in the data dictionary -
6
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Percentage of parties winning seats
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
16.7%
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Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
47.1%
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Alternation of power after elections
The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
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Not applicable
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Number of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
View field in the data dictionary -
6
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Names of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
View field in the data dictionary -
United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a faction of the SLP opposing former President Rajapakse, Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU)
Parties or coalitions winning seats
| Political group | Total | Constituency seats | National seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| United National Party (UNP) | 106 | 93 | 13 |
| United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) | 95 | 83 | 12 |
| Lanka Tamil State Party (Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi, ITAK) | 16 | 14 | 2 |
| People's Liberation Front (JVP) | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Members elected, by sex
- Number of men elected
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214
- Number of women elected
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11
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Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected by the number of seats filled.
View field in the data dictionary -
4.9%
- Women Directly Elected
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11
- Other notes on the elections
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Number of parties in government: 6. The government also includes a faction of the SLP opposing former President Rajapakse.
- Sources
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Parliament (24.08.2015, 09.09.2015, 11.09.2015, 07.01.2016)
International Crisis Group
BBC
New legislature
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Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
View field in the data dictionary -
214
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Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
View field in the data dictionary -
11
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
View field in the data dictionary -
4.9%
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First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
View field in the data dictionary -
69
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
View field in the data dictionary -
30.7%
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Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
View field in the data dictionary -
01 Sep 2015
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Karu Jayasuriya (Male)
Date of birth: 1940 -
Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
View field in the data dictionary -
United National Party (UNP)
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Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
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01 Sep 2015