Sri Lanka’s Historic Parliamentary Session Marks New Leadership

Sri Lanka’s newly convened Parliament saw historic appointments following the National People’s Power (NPP) party’s landslide victory. Ashoka Ranwala, a first-time parliamentarian, was elected Speaker, while Rizwie Salih was named Deputy Speaker, and Himali Weerasekera became Deputy Chairman of the Committee.

This marks an unprecedented moment in Sri Lankan parliamentary history, as all three key officials are newcomers. The NPP’s success in the November 14 election gave it a commanding two-thirds majority, with many first-time members filling the seats. Following the appointments, Sajith Premadasa of the opposition was recognized as the Leader of the Opposition, while President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to present a policy statement to the assembly.