Political tussles

The 20th Amendment and the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are currently the top topics of political discourse. Sri Lanka’s volatile post-election environment has provided an interesting impasse, with significant results for both parties.

Indications are the coalition Government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena has thrown its weight behind the 20th Amendment. Reports have indicated a special Cabinet meeting has been scheduled for Monday to spur consensus in a topic that has been proved the devil is in the detail.

As parties fight for the straightest route to consolidate their power, the twin goals of reducing election costs and increasing direct representation are in danger of dropping by the wayside. It is abundantly clear the push for stronger female representation is also likely to be ignored. President Sirisena’s pledge to pass the 20th Amendment before calling a Parliamentary election has spawned a significant roadblock to the new Government and plays right into the hands of a verbose Opposition.

Never one to miss a beat, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa continued his criticism of the Government by placing the no-confidence motion as evidence of the “unethical” practices followed by the coalition since it came into power. Rajapaksa loyalists have also used the 20th Amendment stalemate to push their own agendas and sow discord among the Government. It also serves as a perfect distraction from the uncomfortable corruption investigations heckling the Rajapaksa family and its closest allies. Even though the United National Party (UNP) claims to be confident the motion will not be tabled for debate, much less voted on, it does show the deep divisions within Parliament and is unlikely to boost confidence among the public.

It also causes more headaches for the Government, which is clearly the intention of the pro-Rajapaksa wing. Despite having only the minority parties of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to back him, Rajapaksa’s supporters have become the a significant voice in the ongoing political discourse, though many have no electoral presence to back up their verbosity. But in a game of fireworks and quotable statements substance is not important and that is exactly what the Rajapaksa wing is best at.

Last week a questionable booklet, covertly supporting Rajapaksa’s presence in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), was circulated at the media briefing held by UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha, who when questioned about it insisted he had no knowledge of why it was distributed. The “wheels within wheels” approach has dented confidence within the SLFP and bodes ill for a future election.

The UNP on the other hand is champing at the bit. They want elections – fast. But an attempt by President Sirisena to find a compromise in the form of the Constitutional Council has also not taken off. Parliament meets on Tuesday to discuss once again the civil society appointments for the Constitutional Council and it will likely spark pandemonium as the Government and Opposition tussle over the no-confidence motion.

Even the smaller parties, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Jathika Hela Urumaya, are at odds. The latter wants the 20th Amendment passed and has called for unity within the two main parties while the former is content with the Constitutional Council. All the while pressure to dissolve Parliament increases from within and without. Increasingly it seems that both the President and Prime Minister are being backed into a corner and the best bet might well be to let the people decide.