Politics & Government Guide
Political system, governance structure, stability indicators, and democratic institutions in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's semi-presidential republic is led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya of the National People's Power (NPP), following their landslide victories in 2024 elections. The NPP holds a supermajority in the unicameral Parliament, focusing on anti-corruption reforms, economic recovery, and constitutional changes amid post-crisis stabilization.
Political Stability
Poor
Corruption Index
Below Average
Democracy Index
Moderate
Government Type
Semi-presidential republic
Legal System
Mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law
Head of State
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake(since 2024)
Head of Government
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya(National People's Power)since 2024
Political Indicators
Political Stability
Scale: -2.5 to 2.5
Moderate
World Bank (2024)
Corruption Index
Scale: 0-100
Transparency International (2024)
Press Freedom
Scale: 0-100
Reporters Without Borders (2024)
Democracy Index
Scale: 0-10
Flawed Democracy
Economist Intelligence Unit (2023)
Legislature
Major Political Parties
Left-wing
Centre-right
Voting Rights
Citizens aged 18 and above have full voting rights in presidential, parliamentary, and local elections.
Recent Developments
- Anura Kumara Dissanayake elected President on September 23, 2024, and NPP won supermajority in parliamentary elections on November 14, 2024
- New cabinet sworn in on November 18, 2024, with Harini Amarasuriya as Prime Minister
- Ministerial reshuffle on October 10, 2025, increasing cabinet to 23 members
- Debt restructuring completed in December 2024, postponing repayments to 2028
- Ongoing reforms including Clean Sri Lanka program and promises to abolish executive presidency
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