Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance
The Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated SLPFA; Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා නිදහස් පොදුජන සන්ධානය, romanized: Śrī Laṃkā Nidahas Podujana Sandhānaya; Tamil: ஶ்ரீ லங்கா பொதுஜன சுதந்திர கூட்டமைப்பு, romanized: Śrī laṅkā Potujaṉa Cutantira Kūṭṭamaippu) is a left-wing nationalist political alliance formed in 2019 by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and fifteen smaller parties.
Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance ශ්රී ලංකා නිදහස් පොදුජන සන්ධානය ஶ்ரீ லங்கா பொதுஜன சுதந்திர கூட்டமைப்பு | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | SLPFA |
Leader | Mahinda Rajapaksa[1] |
Chairperson | Maithripala Sirisena[1] |
General Secretary | Basil Rajapaksa[1] |
Founded | 31 October 2019 |
Preceded by | United People's Freedom Alliance |
Ideology | Big tent Factions Social democracy[2][3] Sinhalese nationalism[4] Socialism Federalism Anti-Federalism[5] Anti-imperialism[6] Communism Agrarian socialism Indian Tamil interests Secularism |
Political position | Centre-left to far-left |
Parliament | 150 / 225 |
Election symbol | |
Flower Bud | |
Website | |
podujanasandanaya podujanaalliance | |
History
On 31 October 2019 seventeen parties including the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and Sri Lanka Freedom Party signed an agreement at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo to form the Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance.[7][8] The seventeen parties were:[9][10]
- Ceylon Workers' Congress
- Communist Party of Sri Lanka
- Democratic Left Front (Sri Lanka)
- Desha Vimukthi Janatha Pakshaya
- Eelam People's Democratic Party
- Lanka Sama Samaja Party
- Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
- Mutpokkuth Tamilar Kachchi
- National Congress
- National Freedom Front
- Pivithuru Hela Urumaya
- Sri Lanka Freedom Party
- Sri Lanka People's Party
- Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
- Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal
- United People’s Party
- Vijaya Dharani Jathika Sabawa
The alliance supported SLPP candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election.[11][12] It had planned to contest the 2020 parliamentary election under the chair symbol, the symbol of the United People's Freedom Alliance's predecessor the People's Alliance.[13][14] However, in February 2020 the alliance submitted an application to the Election Commission to contest the election under the flower bud (pohottuwa) symbol of the SLPP.[15][16]
References
- Pothmulla, Lahiru (17 February 2020). "SLPP, SLFP to contest polls from Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandanaya". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- "BUSINESS TODAY -I Believe in the SLFP". businesstoday.lk.
- "Re-nationalizing: New economic policy".
- Perera, Jehan. "Prevent Vicious Cycle From Re-Emerging After Election". peace-srilanka.org. The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- "The Politics of Demonizing Federalism and Depicting It as Separatism". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "Paradox of Pohottuwa's anti-Americanism with US soft diplomacy in Lankan politics". Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Sunday Times. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "Agreement signed to form Podujana Nidahas Sandhanaya". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "31 October 2019". Ada Derana. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019.
- Pothmulla, Lahiru (31 October 2019). "Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance formed". The Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "17 parties ink agreement to form SLPFA". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- Senarathna, Nuwan (1 November 2019). "Sixteen political parties back GR". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "SLFP-SLPP coalition, Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Alliance formed". News First. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "Gota to receive 6.5 million votes through SLFP - SLPP alliance : Dayasiri". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- Ferdinando, Shamindra (31 October 2019). "Coalition formed to contest 2020 general election under Chair symbol Gotabaya inks pact with large grouping". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- Senarathne, Nuwan (18 February 2020). "SLPP-SLFP submit application to register coalition". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- Mudalige, Disna (17 February 2020). "SLPP and SLFP to contest general election under new alliance". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 February 2020.