Sri Lanka Freedom Party

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය, Tamil: இலங்கை சுதந்திரக் கட்சி) is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 ³and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in government on a number of occasions.⁴ The party is generally considered as having a centre-left or progressivist economic agenda and is often associated with hard-line nationalist Sinhala parties. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is currently a part of the UPFA (United People's Freedom Alliance), the current ruling party of Sri Lanka. The current leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the current president of Sri Lanka.

History

After independence the SLFP represented a form of non-revolutionary socialism and a policy of non-alignment with strong ties to socialist countries.

At the last legislative elections, held on 2 April 2004, the party was the leading party in the United People's Freedom Alliance that won 45.6% of the popular vote and 105 out of 225 seats.⁵

After the elections the party became the predominant party in government with Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister.

Following the 17 November presidential elections, the SLFP candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected President of Sri Lanka - winning 50.3% of the votes cast, although having only part support from his split party.⁶

Organization

• Sri Lanka Nidahas Bhikku Sanvidanaya
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Indigenous physicians Organization
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Teachers Union
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Farmers’ Organization
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Sewaka Sangamaya
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Medical Group
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Students’ Organization
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Fishermen and Domestic Industrialists organization
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Cultural Organization
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Lawyers Organization
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Provincial Council members’ Association
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Association of members of local authority
• Sri Lanka Nidahas Management Assistant Union

Publication

• "Singhale" - First SLFP journal 1956 ( Founder editor Dharma Sri Kuruppu )
• Dinakara - News paper

References

External links

• Fifty years with The Masses
• SLFP - the party with an indigenous identity
• Methek Kathawa Divaina

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