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Two years ago, tens of thousands of Sri Lankans rose up against their president, forcing him to flee the country. As the country prepares for its first elections since then, many say they are still waiting for change.
When Sri Lanka descended into economic collapse in 2022, people from different walks of life mobilized to change a long-established government they saw as responsible. The unprecedented, island-wide public uprising they led was a moment of hope for a country weary of war and economic instability.
Days before Saturday’s presidential election, many still complain about corrupt leaders, economic mismanagement and the entrenched power of the political old guard. But former protesters are struggling to unite behind a candidate.
They agree on one thing: Sri Lanka needs a new political system that can lift the country out of economic and political turbulence.
Days after Rajapaksa fled the country, Sri Lanka’s parliament replaced him with then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a vote many protesters saw as a victory for the status quo.
Many Sri Lankans say the current government is largely made up of the same politicians who have ruled the island for decades, from the devastating civil war that ended in 2009 to the economic crisis that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although he was later jailed for seven days over violent protests in which Sri Lankan dissidents ransacked the presidential palace, 42-year-old doctor Pathum Kerner said the protests had one goal: to install a new leader who could tackle the country’s economic problems.
According to him, the worst of the economic crisis is over, but there is still a long way to go.
“We wanted to create a new party, a new political culture and emerging leaders, but we failed,” said Kerner, who joined the protests from the early days and helped create the slogan “Go home, Gota,” which became a rallying cry for Rajapaksa’s opponents.
Protests continue in Sri Lanka after the country’s parliament replaced an unpopular president with an unpopular prime minister.
Wickremesinghe has made progress in stabilizing Sri Lanka’s economy, but discontent remains high. He has implemented economic measures that have raised the cost of living, such as tax cuts and a debt restructuring program.
Desire to limit presidential powers
Meanwhile, many of the protest movement’s political demands remain unanswered, ranging from holding his predecessors accountable for the economic crisis to curbing the president’s powers and appointing a democratic successor.
Ajantha Perera, an academic and scholar who took part in the protests, said she initially hoped Wickremesinghe would work with the protesters to find solutions to the crisis.
Instead, she said, the new president targeted civil society leaders who played important roles in the grassroots movement, postponed local elections due to a lack of funds and protected the powerful Rajapaksa clan, which has ruled Sri Lanka for more than 12 years.
“Suddenly he turned into something completely different. He tried to please the Rajapaksas, who left,” Perera said.
Like many former protesters, she wants Sri Lanka to strip most of the presidency and hand power to a more powerful parliament and prime minister.
“Executive presidency is a white elephant for Sri Lanka,” she said, adding that any new president could use it to tighten their grip on the country. “We can’t afford it. We don’t need it.”
Tension is a sign of better democracy, says expert
Former protesters find they do not always agree on the direction their country should take, leading to divisions among former allies.
Wickremesignhe’s main challengers — opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and MP Anura Dissanayake, a surprise top candidate who leads a new left-wing coalition — have promised major political changes, including renegotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund to secure more favorable terms.
Dissanayake has even promised to nationalize the country’s resources to boost growth.
Kerner is concerned about these promises. He wants to hold the government to its promises, but he doesn’t trust left-wing politicians when it comes to the economy.
“Bringing a left-wing politician into this crisis,” Kerner said, “is like leaving laxatives with a patient who is dying of dehydration.”
According to human rights lawyer Swasthika Arulingam, the growing political divisions among former protesters are a sign of a healthier democracy.
Arulingam, who provided legal assistance to protesters during the uprising, says Sri Lankans have become “politically aware” after decades of voting based on ethnicity.
“This was the moment when the political status quo broke and people took to the streets and demanded systemic change. So there is definitely a shift in politics as far as the younger generation is concerned,” Arulingam said. “Political parties and candidates can no longer just say whatever they want. People are now asking questions.”
The 37-year-old, a member of the Tamil minority community that bore the brunt of the civil war, is helping to campaign for a candidate from the newly formed People’s Struggle Alliance, another left-wing political movement vying for a place in Sri Lanka’s political landscape.
Arulingam admits her party will not win this election, but says she will not hesitate to take to the streets again if the country’s politicians do not meet demands for change.
“We are preparing for a political struggle and preparing the ground.”
