COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office

SRI LANKA 7 MARCH 2012
6. POLITICAL SYSTEM
6.01 The CIA World Factbook: Sri Lanka 110 , last updated 27 December 2011 described the
Government of Sri Lanka as a republic. It also outlined the structure of the government:
―[C]hief of state: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Dissanayake
Mudiyanselage JAYARATNE holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister (since
21 April 2010)
―[H]ead of government: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November
2005)
―[C]abinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister…
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (two-term limit); election
last held on 26 January 2010 (next to be held in 2016)
―[E]lection results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSA reelected president for second term; percent
of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 57.88%, Sarath FONSEKA 40.15%, other 1.97%‖.
6.02 The same source 111 described the legislature as a:
―[U]nicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
an open-list, proportional representation system by electoral district to serve six-year
terms)
―[E]lections: last held on 8 April 2010 with a repoll in two electorates held on 20 April
2010 (next to be held by April 2016)
―[E]lection results: percent of vote by alliance or party - United People's Freedom
Alliance 60.93%, United National Party 29.34%, Democratic National Alliance 5.49%,
Tamil National Alliance 2.9%, other 1.94%; seats by alliance or party - United People's
Freedom Alliance 144, United National Party 60, Tamil National Alliance 14, Democratic
National Alliance 7.‖
For a list of the political parties their leaders and the political pressure groups and their
leaders see the CIA World Factbook which can be accessed here.
6.03 Europa World Online, Sri Lanka 112 , accessed on 1 June 2011 stated:
―A presidential form of government was adopted in October 1977 and confirmed in the
Constitution of September 1978. The Constitution provides for a unicameral Parliament
as the supreme legislative body, its members being elected by a system of modified
proportional representation. Executive powers are vested in the President, who is Head
110 CIA - The World Factbook – Sri Lanka
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html updated on 27 December 2011
Date accessed 27 January 2012
111 CIA - The World Factbook – Sri Lanka
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html updated on 27 December 2011
Date accessed 27 January 2012
112 Europa World Online, Sri Lanka, Constitution and Government, undated, date accessed on 1 June
2011
58 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 3 February 2012.
Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section
to 2 March 2012.