Election watchdog calls for electing President, PM without divisions

The People’s Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) says the President and Prime Minister of the Interim Government should be elected in unison with all the political parties in Parliament avoiding any kind of voting for any reason.Issuing a statement, PAFFREL stressed that parties should not take any decision to create divisions and go for a vote during the process to elect a new President and a Prime Minister.

“It is clear from their behavior that there are public representatives who have not yet understood the economic, political and social instability in which Sri Lanka is at the moment and the inevitable responsibility you have as political party leaders and parliamentarians to change that situation,” the election monitor noted.

“If we all do not work together at this moment, no one will be able to prevent you, the politicians, and us, the citizens, from being drawn towards all destruction.

Whoever gets the government in the future will have to make unpopular decisions and although we citizens are not directly responsible for this disaster, the citizens will also have to make great sacrifices. Therefore, we request all of you party leaders and members of parliament to pay attention to the following points while choosing the president and the prime minister.

1. The President and Prime Minister of the Interim Government should be chosen in unison with all the political parties. Avoid going to polls for any reason.

2. Avoid considering only the numerical majority of the respective political parties in the parliament while choosing.

3. Avoid doing activities and expressing opinions that cause any division or agreement between political parties.

4. Set aside personal agendas, political agendas or narrow parties and power agendas and work for the country and the people as the priority.

5. Avoid making decisions at this difficult moment targeting the upcoming elections.

6. When choosing the next cabinet, make sure to include at least one person from all the parties represented in the parliament.

7. Also, in choosing the cabinet, make sure to select those who can make a positive contribution to solving the economic, social and political crises and managing international situations and not displeased by the people

8. If the president or prime minister of an all-party government invites you to a cabinet minister position, avoid refusing it.

We believe that all political parties should pay attention to the above matters. Also, when choosing the cabinet, political parties should focus on selecting a creative team that is ready to take risks, has practice in crisis management and free from conventionality. If not, it will be inevitable that the existing crisis will intensify and lead to a bigger crisis from which the country will not be able to recover.