Abolishing Executive Presidency is the Only Way Rajapaksas Can Remain Relevant
Posted on January 20th, 2024
Rajapaksas are about to end up irrelevant in national politics. The battle is now between Sajith and Anura for presidency and opposition leader. These may be the last few months of power Rajapaksas enjoy. There is a way to strike it big and remain politically relevant for SLPP.
There’s only one way for them to remain a fighting force and have hope of a comeback – abolish executive presidency (EP).
They have the numbers in parliament and minority parties will also support it. Chandrika, Mahinda and Sirisena came to power promising they’d abolish EP but they never did it. If EP remains, the third force (Rajapaksas) will never be able to come to power again unless an absolute novice becomes EP and self-destruct himself and his party. Otherwise, the top two parties will not let it up. Rajapaksas’ party does not have minority votes so it makes it impossible for them to ever win it back.
In modern day and age we don’t need the EP. Countries without EP are more stable than countries with EP.
Abolishing EP requires a referendum. JVP’s official position is that the EP must be abolished so they can’t fight to keep it. (They lose credibility if their do.) A referendum will most likely say YES to abolishing EP. Rajapaksas can get credit for it and do better than now at the next parliamentary election.
The danger of an inexperienced person becoming EP has been seen in the recent past. Sirisena and Gotabaya had no experience at the top level (president or PM). When they became EP they could not handle it. Both Sajith and Anura are the same. They have no experience as PM or running important ministries, exposure to foreign relations, economics, etc. They will also blunder like Sirisena and Gotabaya. It makes perfect sense to abolish EP and empower the entire Cabinet with executive decisions. This is what happens in all countries without EP. They function much better than Sri Lanka and countries with an executive presidential system.
If SJB wins the presidential election once, they will not give it up for another 17 years as their predecessors did from 1977 to 1994. The JVP will take it over from there leaving no room for Rajapaksas. This is the last chance for Rajapaksas to save the nation from another executive presidency blunder and earn back some public trust in the process. If they keep EP hoping that one day they could get it, they are very sadly mistaken. The next executive president will end the Rajapaksa political power for good leaving no room for a comeback.