Ex-Minister To Pose 'Serious Challenge' To Sri Lankan President

The decision by Sri Lanka's health minister to resign and run in the upcoming snap presidential elections could present a real challenge to the South Asian nation's current leader, as Nira Wickramasinghe tells DW.

The announcement by Maithripala Sirisena on November 21 came as a blow to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had declared the previous day that he would seek an unprecedented third term as president and called a snap election. The vote is scheduled to take place in early January.



Talking to reporters at a press conference, Sirisena said "one family has taken control of the economy, power and the party. The country is moving towards a dictatorship." The former minister, who previously also held the position of general secretary of Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), has been backed by the main opposition party the United National Party (UNP), as well as many of Rajapaksa's rivals.



Although the president still has wide public support, internal tensions within the ruling party have seen backing for his leadership decline. There have also been allegations President Rajapaksa has used his position to give friends and family members jobs in high-ranking government and bureaucratic institutions.



Nira Wickramasinghe, South Asia expert at Leiden University in the Netherlands, says in a DW interview that Rajapaksa's decision to call a snap election comes at a time when his support base is getting dangerously low. She says Sirisena has a good chance of becoming the country's next leader.



DW: What are the reasons behind Maithripala Sirisena's decision to challenge President Rajapaksa?



Nira Wickramasinghe: Sirisena's main intention is to abolish the executive presidency in 100 days. In addition, he wants to restore the 17th amendment [making the police, elections, public service and the judicial service commissions fully independent] and repeal the 18th amendment [changes in term limits for re-elections of the president].



Sirisena has also said he will hand over the post of prime minister to the current leader of the opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, if he were to win the election.



His decision to challenge President Rajapaksa is very important. Sirisena is a person who can rally votes not only from the opposition but also from segments within the ruling coalition. He has a broad partnership with governmental leaders.



How might Sirisena's background affect the snap elections in January?



He served as health minister in the current president's cabinet before he quit. He was also general secretary of Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party.



Among the voters, the former health minister is viewed as an honest guy and is considered a big name - many voters already know who he is and what he has done. He's a type of candidate that can rally voters and gain support.



Why do you think Rajapaksa called for elections now?



Rajapaksa saw that his voter support was eroding. The last provincial elections in Uva showed a big drop in his popularity, even the support for his coalition dropped around 20 percent. Though the opposition didn't win in the provincial elections, they scored higher than they ever had before - which showed a dramatic change in opinion among the voters.



Rajapaksa viewed this as concerning. He decided to move the elections up two years in a strategic move to make sure that he wouldn't lose even more votes in the coming years.



Do you think the recent announcement by Sirisena made Rajapaksa regret his decision?



I believe the opposition was waiting for Rajapaksa to make his announcement. After he made the decision to hold snap elections, I feel the opposition thought it would be a good time to announce a common candidate who could pose a serious challenge to Rajapaksa.



Before, there wasn't a lot of hope among the people in Sri Lanka. But now Sirisena's challenge changes that. Governmental leaders and voters feel that a change in the country's leadership could be good.



How have Sri Lankans reacted to the news of Sirisena's candidacy?



It's predominately positive. There was a lot of trepidation among people who thought there wouldn't be a proper political opponent. However, with the news that Sirisena will now contest Rajapaksa, there seems to be a lot of hope that at least now there will be a serious contest.



Sirisena has received strong support from both opposition leaders as well as members of the ruling SLFP. Even former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has declared her support for Sirisena.



Also, it's possible the people will rally behind Sirisena. The Sri Lankan people will most likely feel secure in electing him.



He didn't choose to contest Rajapaksa in an effort to change any economic policies; he's challenging the president in an effort to get rid of family favoritism that seems to be in the regime: Rajapaksa's brothers are the defence secretary, speaker of Parliament and economic development minister.



Moreover, his government has faced human rights abuse and accusations of suppressing the media. There's a strong possibility that Rajapaksa can lose.



Nira Wickramasinghe is a professor of Modern South Asian Studies at the Netherlands' Leiden University.