• Says will oppose RW remaining beyond current term

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is ready to support the abolition of the Executive Presidency at any time, senior party leadership said yesterday (11).

However, the party would however oppose any attempt by the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe to remain in power beyond his term under the pretext of doing so, SLFP's Senior Vice President, Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa stressed.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (11), Luxman Piyadasa said that they had no objection regarding the abolition of the Executive Presidency, but they would not allow any attempt by Wickremesinghe to remain in power beyond his term under the guise of doing so.

"It was our leader (Sirisena) who took the initiative to abolish the Executive Presidency by transferring his powers to Parliament and independent Commissions. So, we support a move to do it. However, this is an election year. If the President had a genuine need to abolish the Executive Presidency, he would have done so earlier. If he is now trying to do it with the intention of extending his term, we oppose it."

SLFP Leader and former President and incumbent Opposition Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena had also told the media that the SLFP was ready to support a possible proposal to abolish the Executive Presidency. He had also said that they had received information that measures were underway to present such a proposal soon.

Speaking in Parliament last week, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP and Chief Opposition Whip, attorney Lakshman Kiriella alleged that there are plans to propose the abolishment of the Executive Presidency, which would result in a delay in holding the Presidential Election. "When it is proposed to abolish the Executive Presidency, the Government will say that they need to introduce a new Constitution. Then they will say that at least a year is required to do it."

Having entered Parliament through the United National Party's National List, and initially functioned as an Opposition MP, Wickremesinghe, in mid 2022, was appointed as the Prime Minister in the face of massive public protests against then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He was thereafter elected as the President in a parliamentary vote held following the resignation of Rajapaksa from the presidency in July, 2022, to complete the latter's term of office, which is to end in October, this year (2024).