How Many Executive Presidencies Have Been There in Sri Lanka?

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Written By Alston

I’m a Sri Lankan providing answers to fellow Sri Lankans about our country.

Hello! Today, we are going to learn about the executive presidencies in Sri Lanka.

This is a very interesting topic because it tells us about the leaders who have had a lot of power in our country. Let’s dive in and find out more!

What is an Executive Presidency?

Before we count how many executive presidencies there have been, let’s understand what an executive presidency is.

In Sri Lanka, the President is the head of state and the government.

This means the President has a lot of responsibilities and powers, like making important decisions for the country.

The role became more powerful in 1978 when the constitution was changed to give the President more authority.

How Many Executive Presidencies Have There Been?

Since the executive presidency was established in 1978, there have been eight executive presidencies in Sri Lanka.

Here is a list of the Presidents who have served as executive leaders:

  1. Junius Richard Jayewardene (1978-1989): He was the first executive president and introduced the new constitution.
  2. Ranasinghe Premadasa (1989-1993): He became President after Jayewardene.
  3. Dingiri Banda Wijetunga (1993-1994): He served as President for a short time after Premadasa.
  4. Chandrika Kumaratunga (1994-2005): She was the first female executive president.
  5. Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005-2015): He served two terms and is known for ending the civil war.
  6. Maithripala Sirisena (2015-2019): He became President after defeating Rajapaksa.
  7. Gotabaya Rajapaksa (2019-2022): He resigned during an economic crisis.
  8. Ranil Wickremesinghe (2022-present): He is the current President.

Why is This Important?

Knowing about the executive presidencies helps us understand how Sri Lanka has been governed.

Each President has made different decisions that have shaped our country.

It’s like learning about the captains of a ship and how they navigated through different waters.

Fun Fact

Did you know that before 1978, the President of Sri Lanka had a more ceremonial role, and the Prime Minister had more power? This changed with the new constitution, making the President the most powerful leader in the country.

Conclusion

So, there have been eight executive presidencies in Sri Lanka since 1978. Each President has played a significant role in our country’s history.

If you want to learn more about Sri Lanka and its leaders, make sure to check out advice.lk for more questions and answers about our beautiful country.

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