Dilrook Kannangara

All ruling parties since 1947 have been coalitions. While there were instances where a single party could form the ruling party, they still opted for coalitions (e.g. 1977). This was to gain as much support from the grassroots levels which helps in Local Government and later Provincial Council elections. 2024 has been a turning point in Sri Lanka’s elections for more than one reason. This year will see for the first time, Sri Lanka having a single ruling party without coalitions within it and with others separately elected to parliament.

Though it is unfamiliar in Sri Lanka, the greatest number of stable governments in other democracies have been single ruling parties without coalitions.

Coalitions Lead to Corruption and Betrayal of Voters

Coalitions are made before an election and after the election. At an election, voters are free to vote for whatever party that contests. However, when parties join together after the election, it betrays the wishes of the voter. The voter could have voted for Party A but they didn’t and instead they voted for Party B. If parties A and B band together after the election, they go against the wishes of the voter.

In order to buy coalition member parties, the main coalition partner has to bribe them with ministries, money and other appeasements. This is corruption. As these small parties that jump ship whenever it is beneficial to them, they continue to enjoy corrupt benefits and legal immunity.

Ending coalition politics can seriously reduce long term corruption.

Coalitions Distanced Ruling Parties from Minorities

There was a time when ruling parties and the main opposition had their very own Tamil and Muslim MPs. But with coalitions, this disappeared. By 2024, almost all elected Tamil and Muslim MPs came from sectarian political parties either alone or through a coalition. As a result, governments could not reach out to minorities. In order to reach out to minorities, the government had to go through sectarian political parties. This is a tragedy.

For instance, all elected Tamil (except 1) and Muslim MPs of the SLPP in 2020 came from its coalition parties. SLPP itself had just 1 Tamil MP and no Muslim MP. SJB had only 2 Muslim MPs of their own. Other Tamil and Muslim MPs were from its coalition allies.

Ending coalition governments can bridge minorities directly to the ruling party. If done properly and if the ruling party fields its own Tamil and Muslim MPs who would get elected, this can end the era of alleged and perceived discrimination against minorities.

A New Era of National (Not Sectarian) Politics

Sri Lanka has entered a new era of national politics. The old is dead and the new is powerful enough to turn tables on almost any perennial challenges that engulfed the nation, except sectarian politics, national aspirations, trade and budget deficits and the debt trap. These challenges require a whole different national structure. Short of that, the new political realities are promising. The ruling party, the main opposition and the people must embrace the change and make Sri Lanka better. It is a historic moment for the island nation, a first since gaining independence 76 years ago. Unlike other historic moments that were lost in the past, this opportunity must not be allowed to slip. The change is national, not sectarian, this time which is another first for the island nation in its known history.