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United National Party එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | UNP |
| Leader | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Chairman | Vajira Abeywardena |
| General Secretary | Thalatha Atukorale[1] |
| Deputy Leader | Ruwan Wijewardene |
| Founder | D. S. Senanayake |
| Founded | 6 September 1946 (79 years ago) (1946-09-06) |
| Merger of | Ceylon National Congress Sinhala Maha Sabha |
| Headquarters | Sirikotha, 400 Kotte Road, Pitakotte,Sri Jayawardenapura |
| Youth wing | National Youth Front |
| Professional Wing | Young Professionals Organization of the United National Party |
| Ideology | Liberalism[2][3] Liberal conservatism Economic liberalism[4] Nationalism[5] |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| National affiliation | United National Front (2001–2020) New Democratic Front (2010, 2015, since 2024) |
| Regional affiliation | Asia Pacific Democrat Union |
| International affiliation | International Democracy Union |
| Colors | Green |
| Parliament of Sri Lanka | 2 / 225 |
| Sri Lankan Provincial Councils | 0 / 417 |
| Local Government | 381 / 8,293 |
| Election symbol | |
Elephant | |
| Website | |
| www | |
TheUnited National Party (UNP;Sinhala:එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය,romanized: Eksath Jāthika Pakshaya,Tamil:ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி,romanized: Aikkiya Tēciyak Kaṭci) is acentre-right[6][7]political party inSri Lanka.[8] Founded in 1946, the party was one of Sri Lanka's two main parties for several decades, serving as either the country's ruling party or as part of its governing coalition for several periods of the country's independent history. After suffering a major split in the lead-up to the2020 parliamentary elections, the UNP saw a collapse in parliament, with the party only winning onenational list seat and losing all its votes to the newSamagi Jana Balawegaya alliance.[9][10] Currently, the UNP is a notablethird party in Sri Lankan politics.
The UNP has been led by former presidentRanil Wickremesinghe since 1994.[11] The party is a member of theInternational Democracy Union.[12]
.jpg)
The UNP was founded byD. S. Senanayake in 1946 by amalgamating three right-leaning, pro-dominion parties from the majoritySinhalese community and minorityTamil andMuslim communities.[13] Senanayake had earlier resigned from theCeylon National Congress due to its revised aim in achieving independence from theBritish Empire.[14][13] The UNP represented the business community and the landed gentry, though Senanayake appealed to landless people by adoptingpopulist policies.[citation needed] His agricultural policies allowed many landless people to relocate under productive colonization schemes,[clarification needed] which resulted in Sri Lankan agricultural production rising.
In the country'svery first parliamentary elections in 1947, the UNP won a plurality of seats. After forming a coalition government with theAll Ceylon Tamil Congress, Senanayake became the firstPrime Minister of Ceylon. Ceylon would gainindependence as theDominion of Ceylon the next year. Senanayake's pivotal role in theSri Lankan independence movement would earn him the title of "Father of the Nation".[15]
Senanayake refusedknighthood, but maintained good relations with Britain and was aPrivy Counsellor.[13] He launched major irrigation and hydro-power projects such as theGal Oya project (which relocated over 250,000 people[13]),Udawalawa tank, Senanayaka tank, and several other multipurpose projects. He also renovated historic sites inAnuradhapura andPolonnaruwa and played a major role in theColombo plan.[13][16] During his tenure, free education commenced and theUniversity of Peradeniya opened.[16]
However, his government proceeded to disenfranchise the plantation workers ofIndian descent, theIndian Tamils, using theCeylon Citizenship Act of 1948 and the Parliamentary Elections Amendment Act of 1949. These measures were intended primarily to electorally undermine leftist parties in Sri Lanka.[17]
In July 1951, long-standing UNP stalwartS. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, aBuddhist nationalist leader known for his centre-left views, defected from the UNP to form theSri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) as a balancing force between the UNP and Marxist parties.[citation needed] In March 1952, prime minister Senanayake died in a horseback accident and was succeeded by his sonDudley Senanayake.
During his tenure, Dudley Senanayake launched several projects to further develop the agricultural sector and was termed "Bath Dun Piya" (English: the father who offered free rice to the nation).[18] To improve the agricultural sector, he created Bathalegoda Paddy research centre, Thalawakele Tea research centre and Lunuwila Coconut research centre.[16] He also foundedMoratuwa University, Ampara Higher Technology Institution, and many technical colleges.[16] During this period,Bhikku University commenced andPoya was declared a government-recognized holiday.[16]
The UNP attempted to reduce the rice ration, resulting in the1953 Hartal (general strike and protest), which led to the resignation of prime minister Dudley Senanayake. He was succeeded by his cousin, ColonelSir John Kotelawala, who launched several major power generation and infrastructure projects. These include: the Lakshapana hydropower project; Bambalapitiya, a housing project for the homeless; modernizing of theRatmalana Airport; construction of the Kelaniya Bridge; and the development of Buddhist religious sites.[16]
There was growing dissatisfaction with the UNP particularly because of its support ofminority religious groups – most notablyCatholics – to the consternation of the predominantlyBuddhistSinhalese. Bandaranaike was able to take advantage and lead the SLFP to victory in the 1956 elections, while the UNP returned only eight members to parliament. Kotelawala stepped down as party leader and went into self-imposed exile in theUnited Kingdom.[citation needed]
Bandaranaike passed the controversialSinhala Only Act, which led to communal clashes in 1958. Dudley Senanayake retook party leadership, and the UNP held power for three months in1960. The UNP entered a coalition with theMahajana Eksath Peramuna and the Tamil ethnicFederal Party which took power in1965 under Dudley Senanayake. The coalition lost in a1970 landslide to theUnited Front alliance of the SLFP withMarxist Parties. A bitter leadership battle in the UNP developed between the populist Dudley Senanayake and the more conservativeJunius Richard Jayewardene, a strong supporter of free-market and pro-American policies. The latter was nicknamed as "Yankee Dickey".[citation needed]
During the tenure of Dudley Senanayake,English education was made compulsory.[16]
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After Dudley Senanayake's death in 1973, Jayewardene became the leader of the UNP and reorganized the party at the grassroots level.
The United Front faced general disaffection from its economic policies and its brutal crackdown against a 1971 Marxist–Leninist insurrection by theJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The UNP, which promised each person with an 8-pound (3.6 kg) cereal ration, returned to power in 1977 with an unprecedented five-sixths majority in parliament.
Jayewardene was elected president by Parliament and, in 1978, introduced a newconstitution which transformed the presidency into an executive post with sweeping powers.[citation needed]
The UNP introduced sweeping policy changes, including a more capitalisticliberal economic system.[19]Free-trade zones such as inKatunayaka andBiyagama attracted foreign investment and generated employment. The government undertook massive development work to promote hydroelectricity and agriculture. Reservoirs were built atVictoria,Randenigala,Rantambe andKotmale, whileMaduru Oya andLunugamwehera reservoirs were reconstructed. He awarded "Swarnabhoomi" land deeds to people and established administration centres such as Isurupaya and Sethsiripaya to create the new administrative capital inSri Jayawardanapura Kotte, where a newParliament Building was constructed.[16]
In schools, the Mahapola scholarship programme was launched, free school books were provided, and information technology was introduced. Jayawardene's administration created theUniversity of Ruhuna andEastern University as well as the medical faculty ofUniversity of Jaffna.[16]Bandaranayake International Airport was modernized andAir Lanka was created. He also modernized the military and created the Police Special Task Force.[16]
By 1987, theSri Lankan military had cornered theLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)[clarification needed] in Jaffna and were confident of bringing an end to thecivil war.[specify] However, due to internal pressure,airdropped supplies to the besieged LTTE.[20]
Jayewardene retired in 1988 and was succeeded byRanasinghe Premadasa, a populist leader from the lower class known for his anti-Indian sentiment. After he waselected as president in 1988, he launched the Million Houses Programme for the homeless and started the 'Village Re-Awakening Movement' (Gam Udawa) to develop rural areas across the country. Premadasa's people-oriented programs include theJanasaviya, the Garment Factories Programme, and decentralization of the administration to Divisional Secretariats. He also created the National Housing Development Authority, Urban Development Authority, Central Environmental Authority, Janasaviya Trust Fund, Housing Development Finance Corporation and the Institute for Construction Training and Development.[21]
Despite these developments, many of his political enemies "disappeared" during his reign, most notably the journalistRichard de Zoysa. In 1993, Premadasa was assassinated by LTTE suicide cadres at aMay Day rally.
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In the 1994 election, thePeople's Alliance gained control of parliament after 17 years of unbroken UNP rule. While in opposition, many of UNP stalwarts were killed by an LTTE suicide terrorist attack including presidential candidateGamini Dissanayake. Party leadership was passed to Jayewardene's nephew,Ranil Wickremesinghe, a relatively young politician with pro-western views and a penchant for neoliberal economic policies.[citation needed]
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By 2001 the country was facing the worst economic downturn since independence, with rising inflation and a power crisis. GDP was shrinking by 2.5%. The SLFP government fell on a no-confidence motion by the opposition, which prompted President Kumaratunga to call for early elections. Wickremesinghe secured the support of former government notables, including former Kumaratunga confidants,G. L. Peiris, andS. B. Dissanayake, who would later become important members of the party. On a platform of peace with LTTE and economic resurgence, the UNP returned to power in the 2001 election, taking all but one district. Wickremesinghe became prime minister of a "co-habitation" government with President Kumaratunga.
Within two months into his premiership, Wickremesinghe signed a pivotal ceasefire agreement with the LTTE. The agreement was followed by intense peace negotiations towards a solution to the ethnic conflict. DuringEelam War III, which followed as the negotiations were not yet complete, the LTTE proceeded to seize territories that it had lost.
The UNP government maintained strict fiscal discipline and market-friendly policies, which led to economic recovery, large-scale investment, and rapid economic growth. The government created key economic institutions such as the Board of Investment, the Ministry for Small and Rural Enterprises, and the Information Communication Technology Agency. Economic growth continued to accelerate, reaching almost 6% at the end of 2003, while inflation was at an all-time low of under 2%. Many local and foreign experts believed that Sri Lanka could reach double-digit economic growth within a few years.
However, cease-fire breaches by the LTTE, including the constant stream of assassinations of military spies, emboldedend nationalistic and extremist factions such as the JVP and its cover organizations to organise protests. They tried to convince the public that Wickremesinghe was giving too much away to the LTTE. Hardline Sinhalese Buddhist organizations such as the Sinhala Urumaya (Sinhalese Heritage) criticized the government for this and for allegedly pandering to westernevangelical Christian organizations, endangering Buddhism. The Sinhala Urumaya later rename themselves asJathika Hela Urumaya (National Sinhalese Heritage) and put forward Buddhist monks to contest elections.
In late 2003 the president took over the National Lotteries Board. The UNP blocked this move by surrounding the government press so that the gazette could not be printed. As a retaliatory move, the president then took over the ministries of Mass Communications, Defence, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, while Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was visitingGeorge W. Bush in Washington DC. Kumaratunga and her confidants launched a massive media attack on their nominal partners, branding Wickremesinghe as a traitor and accusing the UNP government of "selling" national heritage sites to foreigners.[citation needed]
Early in 2004, the SLFP and JVP formed theUnited People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), marking the beginning of the end for the UNP government. In February 2004, within 24 hours of delivering a speech for national unity, Kumaratunga dissolved parliament.[22] In the subsequentelection on 2 April 2004, the UNP was defeated by the UPFA. Wickremesinghe remained as leader of the UNP.[23]
In thepresidential election of 17 November 2005, Wickremesinghe, came second with 48.43% of the vote. It is widely believed that if not for the boycott of the polls in the North and parts of the East, allegedly due to LTTE intimidation, Wickramsinghe would have won, though he was unable to gain the trust of the bulk of the majority Sinhalese community.[23]
In early 2007, 18 senior members of the UNP joined PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa's ruling coalition, receiving ministerial positions. This resulted in a state of political unrest, as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the President and the UNP leader in late 2006 was read as no longer valid. This incident, generally recorded in the press as'crossovers', also resulted in a state where a number of senior officials expressed concern over the 'jumbo cabinet'. On 9 February 2007, the president sacked three ministers for their remarks against the new political configuration.
UNP and twelve other opposition parties in parliament signed an opposition alliance on 3 November 2009.
After winning the 30-year long war against LTTE in 2009, President Rajapaksa called for an earlypresidential election in 2010. UNP and JVP backedGeneral Sarath Fonseka as presidential candidate. This was the first time UNP backed a non-UNP member for president. However, Rajapaksa won the election with 57.88% of the popular vote. In April, Rajapaksa called for ageneral election and UPFA won a majority of 144 seats while UNF received 60 seats.[24]
President Rajapaksa, seeking a third term, called for an earlyelection in 2015. UNP and several other parties backed SLFP's general secretary and health minister,Maithripala Sirisena, as common candidate. Sirisena emerged victorious with 51.28% of the popular vote in an election which saw a record turnout of 81.52%. Sirisena was sworn in as executive president while Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as prime minister.[25] Over 70% of the ministerial posts in theSirisena cabinet went to the UNP and MinisterLakshman Kiriella was appointed the leader of the house. The new government presented a budget to parliament two weeks later, giving benefits including a 10,000Sri Lankan rupees pay hike and reduced prices on 13 goods. The National Medicine Regulatory Authority Bill was passed, providing for the establishment of a regulatory authority to be known as the National Medicines Regulatory Authority. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was approved by the Cabinet at an emergency Cabinet meeting on 16 March 2015.[citation needed]
UNP won a majority of seats (106) in the 2015 general elections and Wickremesinghe was appointed prime minister. UNP signed amemorandum of understanding with SLFP for anational unity government, and Wickremesinghe made cabinet appointments from both parties.[26][27] The unity government would last for at least 2 years, in order to address unresolved issues from the 30-year Sri Lanka Civil War.[26][28][29]
Wickremesinghe asked parliament for permission to exceed the constitutional limitation of 30 cabinet ministers.[30][31] This motion was approved by the parliament with 143 in favour, 16 against and 63 absent.[32]
On 23 June 2016, the party launched its e-membership program. The party planned to increase membership by 20% with support from theGoogle Play andApple Store online apps.[33]
The popularity of the government declined, and UNP suffered a defeat in the2018 local authority elections.[34] They were only able to secure 34 of 340 councils whileMahinda Rajapaksa's proxySri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) won 231 councils. UNP secured only 29.42% against the 40.47% of the SLPP and the 12.10% of the SLFP.[35][36]
In the2019 presidential election, the UNP nominatedSajith Premadasa as its candidate after much delay due to internal conflicts. Premadasa was defeated byGotabaya Rajapaksa, who gained 52.25% of the votes against 41.99% by Premadasa. Premadasa was chosen by the party to serve as opposition leader until fresh elections were called in April 2020.[37]
The party had a major split in early 2020 when its working committee became divided over a new alliance that it had previously approved. Leadership of the alliance was given to its deputy leader, the popular Sajith Premadasa. Over three-quarters of the parliamentary group refused to sign nominations from the party, instead making nominations under theSamagi Jana Balawegaya alliance.[9][38] As a result, 99 of the party's seniors were suspended from its membership.[39] Party supporters moved to the new alliance, along with supporting minority parties.[citation needed]
After failed negotiations, the SJB and the UNP decided to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections separately. Delayed by theCOVID-19 pandemic, 2020 parliamentary elections resulted in a landslide victory of the SLPP, which gained 59.09% of the votes and secured a 145-seat parliamentary majority, while the SJB gained 23.90% votes and 54 seats. The UNP suffered its worst defeat, receiving only 2.15% of votes cast. For the first time, it almost failed to win a single seat in parliament, having only gained onenational list seat.[10]
Following the party's defeat in the parliamentary elections, Wickremesinghe indicated on several occasions his willingness to step down as party leader after serving for more than 25 years. He declared that the party would wait with appointing the sole national seat until the new leader would be selected so that he or she could be represented in parliament.[40] However, he failed to follow up on his original statements and Wickremesinghe continuously postponed the decision on the two positions. Ultimately, he remained party leader and also took the sole parliamentary seat for himself in June 2021.[41]
| Part ofa series on the |
| Aragalaya |
|---|
 |
| Background |
| Economic crisis (2019–2024) |
| Political crisis (2022–2024) |
Opponents & demands
1. Resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa2. Accountability for corruption3. Economic reforms4. Access to essential services5. Political reforms6. Youth participation |
| Legacy |
Legacy |
Due to the worseningeconomic crisis and widespread protests in 2022, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who wished to form a government of national unity, invited Wickremesinghe to once again assume the office of Prime Minister as a reconciliatory effort towards the opposition. The relevant parties represented in parliament, Samagi Jana Banawegaya and Tamil National Alliance, refused to take up portfolios in such a cabinet, however they offered conditional support to policies aimed at reviving the economy. Wickremesinghe became Prime Minister despite his party having only one seat in parliament, a first in Sri Lankan parliamentary history.
On 9 July 2022, protestors stormed and occupied thepresidential residence as economic conditions got worse.[42][43] Wickremesinghe agreed to resign[44] while President Gotabaya Rajapaksa agreed to resign on the 13th.[45]
However, on the morning of 13 July, Rajapaksa fled the country, accompanied by his spouse and a personal security detail, to theMaldives. The Speaker of Parliament announced in the afternoon that President Rajapaksa appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting president in his absence. Protesters stormed the office of the Prime Minister demanding his resignation. The next day, Rajapaksa emailed a letter of resignation to theSpeaker of the Parliament.[46]
On 15 July, the SpeakerMahinda Yapa Abewardhana announced the official resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.[47] Ranil Wickremesinghe was officially sworn in as the acting president, and was laterelected by theParliament of Sri Lanka to complete the remainder of Rajapaksa's term.[48]
As Wickremesinghe's term was coming to an end in 2024, there were many speculations whether Wickremesinghe would run for a term of his own right in the2024 presidential election. By mid-2024, Wickremesinghe himself was hinting that he would run for re-election. As the election was called in August 2024, Wickremesinghe announced that he would run for re-election as an independent candidate.[49] He was endorsed by the UNP and a breakaway faction ofSri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.[50] He was also endorsed by several minor parties which had endorsed Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019, such as theCeylon Workers' Congress,[51]Eelam People's Democratic Party,[52] andMahajana Eksath Peramuna.[53] This was Wickremesinghe's third bid for the presidency, and his first time not running as a candidate of the UNP.
Wickremesinghe was eliminated at the end of the first phase of the vote counting, finishing in third place with only 17.27% of the vote, compared to NPP candidateAnura Kumara Dissanayake's 42.31% and SJB candidate Sajith Premadasa's 32.76%.[54][55] As the second preferences count concluded, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was declared the 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka.[56] Wickremesinghe left the Presidential Secretariat on 23 September 2024, allowing for apeaceful transition of power to Dissanayake, who succeeded him as President. He also stated that he would not run for reelection again following his defeat, as part of the UNP tradition.[57]
| Election year | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | J. R. Jayewardene | 3,450,811 | 52.91% |  52.91 | Won |
| 1988 | Ranasinghe Premadasa | 2,569,199 | 50.43% |  2.48 | Won |
| 1994 | Srima Dissanayake | 2,715,283 | 35.91% | 14.52 | Lost |
| 1999 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | 3,602,748 | 42.71% |  6.80 | Lost |
| 2005 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | 4,706,366 | 48.43% | 5.72 | Lost |
| 2010 | SupportedSarath Fonseka | 4,173,185 | 40.15% | 8.28 | Lost |
| 2015 | SupportedMaithripala Sirisena | 6,217,162 | 51.28% | 11.13 | Won |
| 2019 | Sajith Premadasa | 5,564,239 | 41.99% | 9.29 | Lost |
| 2022 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | 134 (E.V) | 61.19% | — | Won |
| 2024 | Ranil Wickremesinghe[a] | 2,299,767 | 17.27% | 24.72 | Lost |
| Election year | Seats won | +/– | Leader | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 42 / 95 | 0 | D. S. Senanayake | Government |
| 1952 | 54 / 95 | 13 | Dudley Senanayake | Government |
| 1956 | 8 / 95 | 46 | John Kotelawala | Opposition |
| 1960 (March) | 50 / 151 | 42 | Dudley Senanayake | Government |
| 1960 (July) | 30 / 151 | 20 | Opposition | |
| 1965 | 66 / 151 | 36 | Government | |
| 1970 | 17 / 151 | 49 | Opposition | |
| 1977 | 140 / 168 | 123 | Junius Richard Jayewardene | Government |
| 1989 | 125 / 225 | 15 | Ranasinghe Premadasa | Government |
| 1994 | 94 / 225 | 31 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga | Opposition |
| 2000 | 89 / 225 | 5 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | Opposition |
| 2001 | 109 / 225 | 20 | Government | |
| 2004 | 82 / 225 | 27 | Opposition | |
| 2010 | 60 / 225 | 22 | Opposition | |
| 2015 | 106 / 225 | 46 | Government | |
| 2020 | 1 / 225 | 105 | Opposition(2020–2022) | |
| Government(2022–2024) | ||||
| 2024 | 5 / 225 | 4 | Opposition |
As of November 2025, the current office bearers of the United National Party are as shown below.[58]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Leader | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Deputy Leader | Ruwan Wijewardene |
| General Secretary | Thalatha Atukorale |
| Chairman | Vajira Abeywardena |
| No. | Name | Portrait | Period | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D. S. Senanayake | | 1947–1952 | 5 years | Prime Minister of Ceylon (1947–1952) Founder of the party. |
| 2 | Dudley Senanayake | .jpg) | 1952–1953, 1956–1973 | 18 years | Prime Minister of Ceylon (1952–1953, 1960, 1965–1970) |
| 3 | John Kotelawala | .jpg) | 1953–1956 | 3 years | Prime Minister of Ceylon (1953–1956) |
| 4 | J. R. Jayewardene |  | 1973–1989 | 16 years | President of Sri Lanka (1978–1989) Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1977–1978) |
| 5 | Ranasinghe Premadasa |  | 1989–1993 | 4 years | President of Sri Lanka (1989–1993) Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1978–1989) |
| 6 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga | 1993–1994 | 1 year | President of Sri Lanka (1993–1994) Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1989–1993) | |
| 7 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | | 1994–present | 31 years | President of Sri Lanka (2022–2024) Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1993–1994, 2001–2004, 2015–2019, 2022) Current and longest-serving leader. |
| No. | Name | Portrait | Period | Leader | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike | .jpg) | 1947–1951 | D. S. Senanayake | De facto |
| 2 | Sir John Kotelawala | | 1951–1952 | ||
| 3 | J. R. Jayewardene | | 1956–1973 | Dudley Senanayake | Official |
| 4 | Ranasinghe Premadasa |  | 1977–1989 | J. R. Jayewardene | |
| 5 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | .jpg) | 1993–1994 | D. B. Wijetunga | De facto |
| 6 | Gamini Dissanayake |  | 1994 | Official | |
| 7 | Gamini Atukorale | 1994–1998 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | De facto | |
| 8 | Karu Jayasuriya | 1998–2007 | Official | ||
| (8) | Karu Jayasuriya | 2008–2011 | |||
| 9 | Sajith Premadasa | .png) | 2011–2013 | ||
| (8) | Karu Jayasuriya | 2013–2014 | |||
| (9) | Sajith Premadasa | | 2014–2019 | ||
| 10 | Ruwan Wijewardene |  | 2020–present |
Throughout its history, the United National Party has held various internal elections for leadership and deputy leadership positions. Below is a list of all known internal elections of the UNP.
Before the 1977 general election,J. R. Jayewardene conducted an internal vote for deputy leader.Ranasinghe Premadasa acted asde facto deputy during this period. After the election, Premadasa was formally elected deputy leader.
| Year | Position | Candidate | Votes | % | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Deputy Leader | Ranasinghe Premadasa | 118 | 40.3% | Elected |
| Gamini Dissanayake | 108 | 36.9% | Lost | ||
| A. C. S. Hameed | 93 | 22.8% | Lost |
AfterGamini Dissanayake returned to the UNP and the party's defeat in the 1994 parliamentary elections, the party formally held a vote for deputy leader and opposition leader. Gamini Dissanayake narrowly defeatedRanil Wickremesinghe.
| Year | Position | Candidate | Votes | % | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Opposition Leader /Deputy Leader | Gamini Dissanayake | 48 | 51.1% | Elected |
| Ranil Wickremesinghe | 46 | 48.9% | Lost |
Elections were triggered in 2011 after Wickremesinghe’s leadership was challenged following repeated electoral defeats. Wickremesinghe successfully defended his position againstKaru Jayasuriya.
| Year | Position | Candidate | Votes | % | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Leader | Ranil Wickremesinghe | 68 | 72.3% | Elected |
| Karu Jayasuriya | 26 | 27.7% | Lost |
Also held during the 2011 internal conflict, this election sawSajith Premadasa elected as deputy leader overRavi Karunanayake.
| Year | Position | Candidate | Votes | % | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Deputy Leader | Sajith Premadasa | 50 | 54.3% | Elected |
| Ravi Karunanayake | 42 | 45.7% | Lost |
Following Sajith Premadasa’s resignation and the UNP’s poor performance in the 2020 parliamentary elections,Ruwan Wijewardene was elected deputy leader overRavi Karunanayake.
| Year | Position | Candidate | Votes | % | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Deputy Leader | Ruwan Wijewardene | 28 | 73.7% | Elected |
| Ravi Karunanayake | 10 | 26.3% | Lost |
There have been a total of4 presidents from the United National Party.
| # | Portrait | President (birth–death) | Home Province | Took office | Left office | Tenure | Prime Minister (Term) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | J. R. Jayewardene (1906–1996) | Western | 4 February 1978 | 2 January 1989 | 10 years, 333 days | | Ranasinghe Premadasa (1978–1989) |
| 2 | | Ranasinghe Premadasa (1924–1993) | Western | 2 January 1989 | 1 May 1993 | 4 years, 119 days | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga (1989–1993) | |
| 3 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga (1916–2008) | North Central | 7 May 1993 | 12 November 1994 | 1 year, 189 days | | Ranil Wickremesinghe (1993–1994) | |
.jpg) | Chandrika Kumaratunga (1994) | |||||||
| 4 | | Ranil Wickremesinghe (b. 1949) | Western | 20 July 2022 | 23 September 2024 | 2 years, 65 days | .jpg) | Dinesh Gunawardena (2022–2024) |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| Major parties | |
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| Others outside parliament |
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