Thursday Jul 16, 2026
Thursday Jul 16, 2026
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| President Anura Kumara Dissanayake | Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa |
Public confidence in President Anura Kumara Dissanayake remains significantly stronger than that of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, even as a majority of Sri Lankans say their household economic conditions have deteriorated over the past year, according to the latest Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Social Indicator July 2026: Confidence in Democratic Governance Index survery.
The survey found that 75.5% of respondents are satisfied with President Dissanayake’s performance, compared to 29.4% for Opposition Leader Premadasa.
Dissatisfaction with the Opposition Leader stands at 64.9%, nearly three times the 23.3% dissatisfaction recorded for the President.
The President’s approval is strongest among the Malaiyaha Tamil community at 94.4%, followed by Muslims at 93.4%, while remaining a clear majority among the Sinhala community at 69.9%. Satisfaction is also highest among those aged 18 to 29 years at 81.6% and among rural residents at 76.4%.
In contrast, satisfaction with Premadasa remains below 50% across all demographic groups, reaching 42.1% among Muslims, 40.7% among Malaiyaha Tamils, 28.3% among Tamils, and 27.4% among Sinhalese.
Despite the President’s strong approval ratings, economic sentiment remains subdued. A majority of 51.4% said their household economic situation has worsened compared to a year ago, while 30.3% reported no change. Only 18.2% said their household finances had improved.
The survey showed worsening economic conditions were most commonly reported among Sinhala respondents at 53.9% and Muslims at 49.2%, while the Malaiyaha Tamil community was more evenly divided, with 37% reporting improved conditions. Respondents aged above 30 years were considerably more likely to report worsening economic conditions than younger respondents, while urban residents expressed slightly greater pessimism than those in rural areas.
Public opinion on the Government’s handling of the cost of living was almost evenly split, with 45.3% expressing satisfaction and 44% dissatisfaction.
Dissatisfaction was highest among Sinhala respondents at 48.4%, while satisfaction was strongest among the Malaiyaha Tamil community at 66.7% and Tamil respondents at 60%.
Younger respondents expressed greater satisfaction than older age groups, while urban residents were notably less satisfied than those living in rural areas.
The survey also found broad confidence in the National People’s Power (NPP) Government’s ability to deliver efficient governance, with 62.8% expressing satisfaction against 23.1% dissatisfaction.
Confidence was highest among Tamil respondents at 80.7%, followed by Malaiyaha Tamils at 79.6% and Muslims at 76.9%. Satisfaction among Sinhala respondents stood at 57.3%, although this group also recorded the highest dissatisfaction at 26.5%.
The Government also received relatively strong ratings for its response to the Cyclone Ditwah disaster, with 68.6% satisfied with progress on disaster relief, recovery and rebuilding, while 22.1% expressed dissatisfaction.
On accountability, 51.6% of respondents said they were satisfied with the Government’s progress in investigating and bringing those responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks to justice, while 32.4% were dissatisfied.
On constitutional reform, 64.1% supported abolishing the Executive Presidency. However, only 23.6% believed the process should begin immediately, while the largest group, 40.5%, supported abolition but said it should not be treated as an immediate priority. A further 23% opposed abolishing the Executive Presidency.
The survey, conducted between May and June of 1,240 respondents across 25 districts, also found broad support for democratic institutions, with 67% of respondents saying it is important to hold Provincial Council elections, compared to 20.3% who said they were not important.
