President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressed Parliament on Wednesday, putting an end to speculation about the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming elections. He assured that both the Presidential and General Elections will be conducted next year. This announcement was made in response to concerns raised by political parties and individuals who feared that the elections might be postponed through legal and constitutional manipulations.
According to Article 31 (3) of the Constitution, the Presidential Election must be held within one to two months before the expiration of the President’s term. As per the Constitution, the Presidential Election is due to take place in September or October, so there was no need for a fresh announcement. However, the President made the announcement to address the doubts raised by many individuals. In fact, he had already mentioned it in his address to the convention of his United National Party (UNP).
Despite this announcement, there is still speculation about whether the President will attempt to postpone the Presidential Election next year through constitutional or legal means. However, the parliamentary election can be called by the President at any time, even though it is constitutionally scheduled for 2025, after the Presidential Election.
Regardless of the uncertainty, major political parties and individuals with presidential aspirations have been actively preparing for the elections next year. Names like President Wickremesinghe, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and Dhammika Perera have already been mentioned as potential candidates. These parties have conducted their own surveys to gauge public opinion. Currently, no party holds a clear majority, making the political landscape unpredictable.
