Can foreign initiatives restore public confidence in Parliament?
By Shamindra Ferdinando Sri Lanka Parliament has never been short of external help. The House began receiving substantial assistance by way of various projects, mostly sponsored by the USAID, after the 2015 change of government. This happened during the then UNPer Karu Jayasuriya’s tenure as the Speaker. The US stepped in after backing the UNP-led […]
Foreign initiatives have continued to influence the Sri Lankan Parliament despite deteriorating parliamentary standards. USAID projects, supported by the US government, have been introduced since 2015, though they have not succeeded in improving parliamentary conditions. Despite receiving external assistance, including familiarization tours, the Parliament's situation has not improved.
In 2022, a visit by a Women Parliamentarians' Caucus to New Zealand sparked controversy due to the financial strain on public resources during Sri Lanka's economic crisis. The NPP, backed by the US and India, gained significant political power in 2024, transforming the political landscape and causing the decline of major parties.
The NPP now dominates Parliament, with an unprecedented number of members, and has supported controversial projects like Max Planck Foundation's initiatives.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
