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National People's Power

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National People's Power
ජාතික ජන බලවේගය
தேசிய மக்கள் சக்தி
AbbreviationNPP
LeaderAnura Kumara Dissanayake
General SecretaryNihal Abeysinghe
FounderAnura Kumara Dissanayake
Founded13 July 2019 (5 years ago) (2019-07-13)[1]
Headquarters464/20 Pannipitiya Road, Pelawatta, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka. [2]
Youth wingNPP Youth[a]
Women's wingProgressive Women’s Collective
IdeologySocialism[3][4]
Left-wing populism[5][6][7]
Factions:
Progressivism
Marxism
Reformism
Political positionLeft-wing[8]
Colors  Pink
SloganLet The Real People Win
Parliament of Sri Lanka
3 / 225
Local Government
15 / 30
Election symbol
Compass
Website
npp.lk

The National People's Power (NPP) or Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) is a socialist political alliance in Sri Lanka led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. It was established in 2019.[1][9]

The NPP consists of 21 political parties and other organisations.[10] It contests in elections under the compass symbol. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the current leader of the electoral coalition and Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe is the general secretary.[11][12]

History

[edit]

The NPP was formed by the members of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and over 20 other parties, worker unions, women's rights groups and youth organizations including members of ethnic communities.

Opposition (2019–2024)

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During the 2020 parliamentary elections, the NPP aimed to surpass the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and win a majority of seats in parliament.[citation needed] However, the SLPP achieved a landslide victory in the elections as the ruling party, while the Samagi Jana Balawegaya became the main opposition party. The NPP only secured 3 seats and remained a third party. Dissanayake later said in a speech that he was not satisfied with the SLPP's victory and the NPP's defeat. When the 20th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was announced, the NPP launched a protest against it.[13][14]

In government (2024–present)

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Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 10th President of Sri Lanka

The NPP saw a surge in popular support during the 2022 Sri Lankan protests, amid dissatisfaction with the incumbent political establishment and the economic crisis. In the first vote count of the 2024 presidential election, NPP presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake won a plurality of the vote, with 42.31%.[15] Once the second round of vote counting concluded, Dissanayake was declared the winner and elected president, securing 55.89% of the vote.[16] The following day, Dissanayake formed an interim 3-member NPP government.[17]

Ideology

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The National People's Power is ideologically left-wing populist[18] and working-class centred. The NPP is led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, the main communist party of Sri Lanka.[19] The NPP promotes a unique Sri Lankan economic model based on socialist principles and considers both neoliberalism and 'classical socialism' to be failures.[20] The NPP claims to oppose excessive privatization[21] and supports the state maintaining a role in energy, financial markets, and sectors directly related to national security while limiting involvement in profit-driven businesses.[22]

Members

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The NPP is composed of 21 groups, including political parties, youth organizations, women's groups, trade unions, and civil society organizations.[10]

  • Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
  • Aluth Parapura
  • Ethera Api
  • Public Servants for Public Service
  • National Bhikkhu Front
  • National Trade Union Centre
  • Sri Lanka Communist Party (Alternative Group)
  • Doctors for Social Justice
  • Samabhimani Collective
  • United Left Power
  • Inter Company Employees' Union
  • 71 Sahodrathwa Sansadaya
  • Aluth Piyapath
  • Mass Guiding Artists
  • Janodanaya
  • National Intellectuals Organization
  • Dabindu Collective
  • University Teachers for Social Justice
  • Progressive Women's Collective
  • Husmata Husmak
  • All Ceylon Estate Workers' Union

Structure

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Office bearers

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As of 5 October 2024, the current office bearers of the NPP are as shown below.[23]

Position Name
Party Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake
General Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe
Treasurer Eranga Gunasekara
Deputy Secretary Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
Deputy Secretary Lal Wijenayake

Electoral history

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Presidential

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Election Candidate First round Second round Result Ref
Votes % Votes %
2019 Anura Kumara Dissanayake 418,553 3.16% Lost
2022 Anura Kumara Dissanayake 3 (E.V) 1.37% Lost
2024 Anura Kumara Dissanayake 5,634,915 42.31% 5,740,179 55.89% Won [24]

Parliamentary

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Parliament of Sri Lanka
Election Leader Votes Seats Result Ref
No. % No. +/– %
2015 Anura Kumara Dissanayake 543,944 4.87%
6 / 225
New New Opposition
2020 445,958 3.84%
3 / 225
Increase 3 1.33% Opposition [25]
2024 TBD

Local Authorities

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Election Leader Votes Councillors Local Authorities Ref
No. % No. +/–
2018 Anura Kumara Dissanayake 710,932 5.75%
434 / 8,327
New
0 / 340
2019 (Elpitiya) 2,435 5.80%
2 / 30
New
0 / 1
2024 (Elpitiya) 17,295 47.64%
15 / 30
Increase 15
1 / 1
[26]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Section of the Socialist Students Union

References

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  1. ^ a b "National People's Power launched". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Contact". www.jvpsrilanka.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  3. ^ ""JVP-led NPP believes in a unique Sri Lankan economic model based on socialist principles" -Nalinda Jayatissa (Former MP) - Opinion | Daily Mirror".
  4. ^ ""We'll contest elections under a new symbol" Anura Kumara Dissanayake - Hard talk | Daily Mirror".
  5. ^ "Sri Lankan outsider leftist Dissanayake wins presidential election".
  6. ^ "Breaking the Two-Party Hold". www.dailynews.lk.
  7. ^ "Sri Lanka Leftist Candidate Gains Ground with Anti-Corruption Push". 29 August 2024.
  8. ^ Mahendra, Dammika (15 May 2024). "Understanding Left-Wing and Right-Wing Liberalism in the Sri Lankan Context: The NPP, UNP, and SJB". Medium. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  9. ^ "JVP to continue politics under NPP". Sri Lanka: The Morning. 17 August 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Who we are". www.npp.lk. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  11. ^ Anura Named the NPP. Ada Derana.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Anura Kumara named Presidential candidate of National People's Power". Newsfirst. 18 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Proposed New 20th Amendment will take Sri Lanka back to the Stone Age – NPP". 7 September 2020.
  14. ^ "NPP dissatisfied with the general election results: Anura Kumara". dailynews.lk.
  15. ^ "Election Commission". elections.gov.lk.
  16. ^ "Live Sri Lanka Presidential Election Results 2024: Real-Time Results". results.elections.gov.lk. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  17. ^ "New Cabinet appointed - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  18. ^ Perera, Dayan Jayatilleka (12 June 2024). "The NPP Factor: Rise of Left-Wing Populism in Sri Lanka". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  19. ^ "National People's Power to launch its manifesto on 26th".
  20. ^ ""JVP-led NPP believes in a unique Sri Lankan economic model based on socialist principles" -Nalinda Jayatissa (former MP)". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  21. ^ "AKD outlines industrial policy of the NPP/JVP". Latest in the News Sphere | The Morning. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  22. ^ "AKD assures business community of investment security under NPP Govt. | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Information of Recognized Political Parties - NPP" (PDF). Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Presidential Election Results – 2024". Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 22 September 2024. Archived from the original on 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Parliament Election 2020 – Votes, Seats and National List Seats by Party – All Island" (PDF). Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 7 August 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Local Authorities Elections - 2024/10/26 - Final Results of the Council" (PDF). Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 26 October 2024. Archived from the original on 27 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.