Sri Lanka, is a free, independent and sovereign nation with a population of 21.6 million (2018 est). Legislative power is exercised by a Parliament, elected by universal franchise on proportional representation basis. A President, who is also elected by the people, exercises executive power including defence. Sri Lanka enjoys a multi party system, and the people vote to elect a new government every six years.

Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena, known as Maithripala Sirisena, is the 6th Executive President of Sri Lanka. He was born on 3rd September 1951 to a middle-class farming family. He joined mainstream politics in 1989 and has held several ministerial portfolios since 1994. He is the President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) (ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය – இலங்கை சுதந்திரக் கட்சி) and he was the longest serving General Secretary. He was selected as the Common Candidate of the for the Presidential Election to be held on 8th January 2015, where he won the support of the people of Sri Lanka to change the regime to build a better governance and an economically prosperous Sri Lanka for everyone.

Maithripala Sirisena is a rare breed of a gentleman politician in today’s political landscape, a politician with an impeccable track record, untainted by either violence or corruption. Maithripala is a political leader with a genuine national appeal. The son of a farmer, he had practiced a brand of centrist, moderate and clean politics, which characterizes the best in Sri Lanka’s political culture.

Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the fourth time on 21st August 2015.

He is the Leader of the United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka’s largest political party, which is a constituent member of the National Unity Government led by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena.

Hon. Wickremesinghe was first appointed as the Prime Minister from 1993 – 1994 after the assassination of President Ranasinghe Premadasa. He was also elected as the Prime Minister from 2001 – 2004 when the United National Front Government won the general elections in 2001.