Summary

Sri Lanka is a Democratic Republic which is governed by a mixed presidential and parliamentary system. The constitution was written in 1978 and can be amended with a two-thirds majority vote in parliament, with some amendments requiring a national referendum in tandem with a majority parliamentary vote. 

Politics

Sri Lankan Government has three branches. The executive consists of the President who is elected by popular vote for a period of six years, and as of 2015, no more than two consecutive terms. The President is the Head of State, Commander in Chief, Head of Government, heads the Cabinet and appoints ministers from the elected members of Parliament. The President also selects a Prime Minister from the legislature. The Legislative Parliament is a unicameral 225-member legislature elected in multi seat constituencies with 29 members elected by proportional representation who all serve five-year terms. The Judiciary consists of a Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts, and subordinate courts. 

In July 2022 the presidential palace was stormed by citizens of Sri Lanka demanding the President be replaced. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned and fled the country. His replacement, Ranil Wickremasinghe, was seen as a poor replacement by the people of Sri Lanka. He belongs to the centre-right United National Party. He has been the country’s Prime Minister six times but has never completed a full term. Ranil has a chequered past and is considered to have protected the Rajapaksa family from prosecution during his time as Prime Minister from 2015 to 2019.

For further information on Sri Lanka’s political system, see the resources below:

Articles:

1. Political System (embassy.qa)
2. In Sri Lanka, economic necessity collides with political reality | East Asia Forum

Sri Lanka and Australia

Sri Lanka and Australia celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2022. Sri Lanka and Australia share a common interest in maintaining peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region. Sri Lanka and Australia share a Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) signed in 2017. The TIFA enables market access and investment between the two countries and was renewed in 2023. Education plays a significant role in Australia’s relationship with Sri Lanka with around 12,000 Sri Lankans studying in Australia.

For further information on Sri Lanka’s diplomatic relations with Australia, see the resources below:

Articles:

1. Australia-Sri Lanka relationship (embassy.gov.au)
2. Sri Lanka country brief | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)
3. The Sri Lanka High Commission – Canberra, Australia (slhcaust.org)
4. How Australia Can Help Sri Lanka – The Diplomat
5. High Commissioner to Sri Lanka | Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs (foreignminister.gov.au)

Sri Lanka and its Neighbours

Sri Lanka is a small nation among large global superpowers in a geopolitically complex region. It relies upon its neighbours for security and economic support. Sri Lanka’s current precarious economic position makes it even more so dependent on its neighbours. Although India has long been considered Sri Lanka’s ‘big brother’, this sentiment has changed in recent times. Sri Lanka has been seen to be developing greater political and economic ties with China, who have provided Sri Lanka with foreign loans and gifted them a warship. With India firmly opposed to any Chinese influence within the region due to its own security implications, Chinese influence over Sri Lanka has the potential to change the political dynamic between India and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis puts it at the mercy of those who will finance it. Any financial influence from China can only be countered by greater financial influence from elsewhere. China’s strong economy makes it difficult for other nations to counter their influence both in Sri Lanka and the broader region. 

For further information on Sri Lanka’s diplomatic relations with its neighbours, see the resources below:

Articles:

1. Sri Lanka, India and China: Here's What Keeps Neighbours Friendly – and What Doesn't (thewire.in)
2. Sri Lanka’s diplomatic synchronicity with Its neighbourhood – The Island
3. India-China Tango Continues in Sri Lanka – The Diplomat