Delayed promise of a new constitution: Why NPP is failing to stick to mandate

WHEN the National People’s Power (NPP) swept into office in a landmark election, it did so riding a wave of public frustration and hope. Their mandate was clear: dismantle the corrupt political order, deliver socioeconomic justice, and most crucially, bring in a new constitution that reflects the aspirations of a post-crisis Sri Lanka. But nearly a year into their governance, that promise appears to be wavering.

- By Rajitha Abeygunasekara

In its 2024 election manifesto, the NPP explicitly pledged to “introduce a new people-centered constitution that ensures sovereignty, abolishes the executive presidency, strengthens democracy, and guarantees the rights of all citizens.” This was not a vague vision, it was a cornerstone commitment that formed the backbone of their legitimacy.

A Constitutional reset: Why it's nonnegotiable

Without a new constitution, Sri Lanka cannot establish the new political system the NPP promised. The current legal and governance framework, shaped by decades of authoritarianism and excessive centralisation, cannot support the democratic, just, and inclusive state that the people demanded during the Aragalaya. Power remains too heavily concentrated in the executive, undermining accountability, participation, and provincial empowerment. Only a new constitution can lay the foundation for genuine power devolution, stronger provincial & local governance, and a system where citizens, not political elites, are at the center of decision-making.

Moreover, economic sovereignty is impossible without political transformation. The present constitution enables unchecked executive power, patronage politics, and institutional weakness, factors that have long undermined investor confidence, economic planning, and fiscal responsibility. Without addressing these structural flaws, even the most well-intentioned economic reforms are bound to fail.