President of Sri Lanka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of Sri Lanka |
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Emblem of Sri Lanka
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| Style |
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| Member of | Cabinet National Security Council |
| Residence | President's House |
| Nominator | Citizens of Sri Lanka |
| Appointer | Direct election |
| Term length | Five years, renewable once |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Sri Lanka |
| Precursor | Monarch of Ceylon |
| Inaugural holder | William Gopallawa under the 1972 Constitution |
| Formation | 22 May 1972 |
| First holder | William Gopallawa |
| Succession | Sri Lankan presidential line of succession |
| Deputy | Prime Minister |
| Website | |
The President of Sri Lanka is the most important leader in the country. This person is both the head of state (the symbolic leader) and the head of government (the one who runs the country). The president is also the top commander of Sri Lanka's armed forces.
The president's job and powers have changed over time. This depends on the different rules set by the country's Constitution. The president also chooses the Prime Minister, who must have the support of the Parliament.
Currently, Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the 10th President of Sri Lanka. He started his term on 23 September 2024. He won the 2024 presidential election.
Contents
History of the Presidency in Sri Lanka
From Monarchy to Republic
Before 1972, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon. It was a constitutional monarchy. This meant the King or Queen of Ceylon was the head of state. A Governor-General represented the monarch in Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister was the head of the government.
In 1972, Sri Lanka became a republic. This means it no longer had a monarch. The country adopted a new Constitution. It created the role of president as the head of state. However, this first president was mostly a ceremonial figure. The Prime Minister still held most of the real power.
The Executive Presidency
In 1978, the Constitution changed again. Sri Lanka moved to a semi-presidential system. This made the president a very powerful leader. The president became both the head of state and the head of government. This new role was similar to the French model.
The president now had a longer term in office. They also became independent from Parliament. The president was made the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. They also led the cabinet of ministers. The president could even dissolve Parliament and call new elections. The Prime Minister became the president's helper and deputy.
Changes to Presidential Powers
Over the years, there have been several changes to the president's powers.
- In 2001, the 17th Amendment reduced some presidential powers. This included how judges and special commissions were appointed.
- In 2010, the 18th Amendment was introduced. It removed the limit on how many terms a president could serve. This allowed a president to run for office multiple times. It also increased the president's power.
- In 2015, the 19th Amendment reversed many changes from the 18th Amendment. It brought back the two-term limit for presidents. It also required the president to talk with the prime minister about choosing ministers. This amendment also made the president more accountable for their actions.
Recent Changes and Protests
In 2022, Sri Lanka faced a big economic crisis. This led to large protests across the country. People demanded that the president and government step down. They also wanted changes to the Constitution to reduce the president's powers.
After the president resigned, the Parliament elected the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the new president.
Later in 2022, the 21st Amendment was introduced. This amendment aimed to give more power to the Parliament. It also made the president and cabinet more accountable to Parliament. A key part of this change was stopping people with dual citizenship from running in elections.
How the President is Chosen
Who Can Be President?
To become president, a person must meet certain requirements:
- They must be a citizen of Sri Lanka.
- They must be nominated by a recognized political party or be an elected member of Parliament.
- A person cannot be elected president by the people more than twice.
- The person can only have Sri Lankan citizenship.
The Election Process
The president is elected by the people in a nationwide election. The term of office is five years. A president can serve a maximum of two terms.
Sri Lanka uses a special voting system. Voters can choose up to three candidates in order of preference. If no candidate gets more than half of the votes in the first count, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed. Their second and third choice votes are then given to the remaining candidates. This continues until one candidate gets more than 50% of the votes.
A president can choose to call an early election for their second term. This can happen after four years of their first term. However, a president who takes over from another president (due to resignation or other reasons) cannot call an early election.
When the Office Becomes Empty
If the president cannot do their job, or if the office becomes empty, the Prime Minister temporarily takes over. This happens if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office.
If the president's office becomes empty before their term ends, Parliament chooses one of its members to be the new president. This new president only serves for the rest of the original term. The Prime Minister acts as president until a new one is elected by Parliament.
This has happened twice in Sri Lanka's history. In 1993, after President Premadasa was assassinated, Prime Minister D. B. Wijetunga became president. In 2022, after President Rajapaksa resigned, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe became president.
Presidential Term Length
When the office of president was created in 1972, the term was six years. After the executive presidency began in 1978, the president was elected by popular vote for six years. They could serve two terms.
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution changed the term length to five years. A president can still call an early election for their second term after four years.
What the President Does
Main Duties
The president has several important duties:
- Making sure the Constitution is followed.
- Helping to bring people together and promote national unity.
- Ensuring that important government bodies work properly.
- Working with the Election Commission to make sure elections are fair.
Powers of the President
The president has many powers. They are responsible to Parliament and can be removed by a two-thirds vote in Parliament.
- Declaring War and Peace: The president can declare war or peace.
- State of Emergency: They can declare a state of emergency in the country. This allows them to make special rules without Parliament's approval for a short time.
- Dismissing Governments: The president can dismiss national or state governments if there is corruption, treason, or if they cannot govern.
Working with Parliament
The president can attend Parliament every three months but does not vote. They can speak to Parliament or send messages. The president can also call, suspend, or dissolve Parliament.
Appointing Officials
The president appoints many important people, including:
- The Prime Minister.
- Ministers for the cabinet and other roles.
- Governors for the provinces.
- Public officers, ambassadors, and military officers.
Judicial Powers
The president appoints and can remove top judges. This includes the Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court. The president can also grant a pardon to people. They can also set up public inquiries to investigate issues.
Diplomatic Role
The president is Sri Lanka's chief diplomat. This means they lead talks with foreign leaders and governments. They also appoint ambassadors to other countries.
Ceremonial Duties
The president has many ceremonial roles. They lead state ceremonies and give out national awards.
- They give the traditional throne speech to Parliament. This speech outlines the new government's plans.
- They lead Independence Day celebrations and other national events.
- They receive official letters from foreign ambassadors.
- They award national honors on behalf of the government.
Other Appointments
The president can appoint provincial governors to lead provincial councils. They can also appoint many advisers and coordinating secretaries to help them. The president can also appoint senior lawyers as President's Counsel. They can also appoint military officers as their personal assistants.
Presidential Privileges
Salary and Benefits
The president receives a monthly salary. The government also pays for meals and staff at the official residence.
Official Residences
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The main official home of the president in Colombo is the President's House. Other official residences include:
- The President's Pavilion in Kandy.
- The Queen's Cottage in Nuwara Eliya, used for vacations.
Some presidents have chosen to live in the Prime Minister's official residence, Temple Trees, or their own private homes.
Travel
For travel on the ground, the president uses a special armored car. For air travel within Sri Lanka, helicopters from the Sri Lanka Air Force are used. For international travel, special flights are arranged with Sri Lankan Airlines. For ceremonial events, navy ships can be used as a presidential yacht.
Security
The President's Security Division (PSD) protects the president. This unit works closely with the president. The elite Special Task Force (STF) of the Sri Lanka Police also helps with the president's security.
Presidential Dispatch Bag
The 'Attaché Case', also known as the Presidential Dispatch Bag, carries important and secret documents. It was designed by the Sri Lanka Army. The outgoing president hands this bag to the new president.
Presidential Staff
Presidential Secretariat
The Presidential Secretariat is the main office that supports the president. It helps with the president's administrative tasks. This office is located in the former Parliament building in Colombo. The most senior civil servant in the country, the secretary to the president, leads it.
Presidential Advisers
The president can appoint many people as presidential advisers. The highest-ranking ones are called senior advisers.
Chief of Staff
The chief of staff is the highest-ranking officer who manages the presidential staff. This position is currently empty.
Coordinating Secretaries
The president can appoint coordinating secretaries to help them with their work.
The President's Fund
The president leads the President's Fund. This fund was set up to help people in need. It provides money for things like healthcare, education, and cultural activities. It also gives awards to people who have served the nation. The Presidential Secretariat manages this fund.
After Being President
Pension
Former presidents receive a pension for life. This pension is equal to the last salary they earned while in office. Their widows also receive a monthly pension.
Other Benefits
Former presidents and their widows are given an official residence. They also receive a monthly allowance for secretarial help. They get official transport and other benefits similar to a cabinet minister.
Order of Importance
A former president or their widow is ranked at the same level as a cabinet minister in the official order of importance.
Staying in Politics
A former president cannot run for a third term as president. However, they can hold other political offices. For example, Mahinda Rajapaksa continued to be a Member of Parliament and even served as Prime Minister after his presidency.
See also
In Spanish: Presidente de Sri Lanka para niños
- List of presidents of Sri Lanka
- Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
- Presidential Secretariat
- President's Security Division
- Official state car of the president of Sri Lanka
Images for kids
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President's Guard.jpg
The President's Guard, a special army unit for presidential security (now dissolved).
