Editor's Pick: Mahinda proposes to clip President’s powers

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday proposed restoring legislation that clips his brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s executive powers and in turn empowers him and Parliament, as a “short-term” solution to the country’s crippling economic crisis. The move comes at a time when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda face unprecedented public anger and criticism, seen in the incessant citizen’s protests in the capital Colombo and across the country. The demonstrators want the ruling brothers to resign, taking responsibility for the meltdown that has resulted in a severe shortage of essentials and steep price rise. While the pressures led to en masse Cabinet resignations earlier this month, the President and Prime Minister remain in office. Addressing the Parliament’s first session after the New Year break in Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahinda sought implementation of the 19 th Amendment with “necessary and timely amendments,” as part of a solution based on “solid economic, political, and social foundation.” His proposal signals a potential shift in the power centre within the ruling camp, a reversal as it were, with Mr. Mahinda attempting to regain control by overturning the 20 th Amendment. The 2020 legislation passed by the Gotabaya administration reduced the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one, while granting sweeping powers and heightened immunity to the President’s office. It essentially rolled back the 19 th Amendment passed in 2015, months after the Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickreemesinghe coalition was elected to office. The development also coincides with the Opposition’s call to abolish the country’s Executive Presidency. Now, Mr Mahinda is expected to put forward a Cabinet paper on restoring the 19 thAmendment early next week, when the newly appointed Cabinet meets for the first time. He would need a Cabinet nod to table the relevant Bill in Parliament. The report on the proposal is the lead in The Hindu as for over a month now, people have spilled on the streets, raising anti-government slogans outside the Presidential Secretariat, protesting the government’s failed response to the economic crisis. Lawyers’ groups, human rights watchdogs and Colombo-based diplomats have condemned the use of force against protesters. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. 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[Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Mahinda proposes to clip President’s powers Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday proposed [restoring legislation]( that clips his brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s executive powers and in turn empowers him and Parliament, as a “short-term” solution to the country’s crippling economic crisis. The move comes at a time when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda face unprecedented public anger and criticism, seen in the incessant citizen’s protests in the capital Colombo and across the country. The demonstrators want the ruling brothers to resign, taking responsibility for the meltdown that has resulted in a severe shortage of essentials and steep price rise. While the pressures led to en masse Cabinet resignations earlier this month, the President and Prime Minister remain in office. Addressing the Parliament’s first session after the New Year break in Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahinda sought implementation of the 19 th Amendment with “necessary and timely amendments,” as part of a solution based on “solid economic, political, and social foundation.” His proposal signals a potential shift in the power centre within the ruling camp, a reversal as it were, with Mr. Mahinda attempting to regain control by overturning the 20 th Amendment. The 2020 legislation passed by the Gotabaya administration reduced the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one, while granting sweeping powers and heightened immunity to the President’s office. It essentially rolled back the 19 th Amendment passed in 2015, months after the Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickreemesinghe coalition was elected to office. The development also coincides with the Opposition’s call to abolish the country’s Executive Presidency. Now, Mr Mahinda is expected to put forward a Cabinet paper on restoring the 19 thAmendment early next week, when the newly appointed Cabinet meets for the first time. He would need a Cabinet nod to table the relevant Bill in Parliament. The report on the proposal is the lead in The Hindu as for over a month now, people have spilled on the streets, raising anti-government slogans outside the Presidential Secretariat, protesting the government’s failed response to the economic crisis. Lawyers’ groups, human rights watchdogs and Colombo-based diplomats have condemned the use of force against protesters. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? 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