The Rise of the Left in Sri Lanka: Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Victory of the Left Unity Engin Erkiner
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The Rise of the Left in Sri Lanka: Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Victory of Left Unity Engin Erkiner The election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the president of Sri Lanka is seen as a sign of a major transformation in the country's political and economic structure. Dissanayake, who is the leader of the Marxist-rooted Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, achieved an election victory with the National People's Power (NPP), a broad coalition of left and center-left parties. This success was made possible by the people's turning to a leftist solution, especially in the face of the country's major economic crisis in 2022 and the failure of right-wing policies to resolve this crisis. Dissanayake's political career is based on the JVP's Marxist-Leninist roots. The JVP had pursued a revolutionary path in the 1970s and 1980s, with two unsuccessful uprisings, but after these attempts failed, the party integrated into parliamentary politics. During this period, the JVP shifted to a more reformist line, focusing on economic justice, social welfare, and combating corruption. Dissanayake took the lead in this transformation, transforming the party into a political platform that appealed to a broad segment of the population. Based on Marxist theory, this platform aimed to strengthen the state's role in the economy, expand public services, and combat corruption. The Left Unity, a broad coalition of 21 left-wing and center-left parties, played a decisive role in Dissanayake's election victory. This coalition advocated greater state involvement in the economy, opposed privatization, and worked to expand social welfare programs. The Left Unity proposed a solution focused on the needs of the people against the 2022 crisis, one of the biggest economic crises that Sri Lanka has experienced since its independence. Policies such as encouraging domestic production, restructuring foreign debts and reviewing agreements with the IMF were among the main goals of the coalition. Apart from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which is one of the main components of the coalition, labor unions, socialist parties and various left-wing organizations are also among the important elements of this alliance. The basic policies of these groups include protecting the rights of the working class, expanding social security networks and increasing public services. At the same time, transforming the agricultural and industrial sectors into a structure based on domestic production and easing the austerity policies imposed by the IMF were also among the strategic goals of the Left Unity. There are 21 organizations in the left coalition. The main components of the coalition are: 1. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP): This party, with Marxist-Leninist roots, advocates for increasing the state's role in the economy, fighting corruption, and expanding public services. 2. Sri Lanka Socialist Party: A party that advocates for expanding social welfare and increasing state control over the economy. 3. Progressive Federation of Trade Unions: A labor movement that advocates for the defense of workers' rights and increased employment in the public sector. 4. Communist Party of Sri Lanka: A party that advocates central planning and an economic system based on class equality. 5. Tamil Democratic People's Front: A party representing the Tamil minority, advocates social justice and class equality. Tamils are several groups, and in the past, one of them has engaged in armed struggle while the others have not. This group will lose the armed struggle and its political influence will be weakened. Many Tamils had to migrate to European countries and took part in the marches as an organized force. Dissanayake's election is seen as an indication that left-wing parties have regained their power in the eyes of the people in the context of an economic crisis that right-wing parties have failed to find a solution to. The failure of traditional right-wing policies to find a solution to the crisis has caused the people to seek alternative solutions. Dissanayake has emerged as a strong leader who appeals to the people on issues of class inequality and the fight against corruption. The coalition's policies have responded directly to the masses, especially those affected by the economic crisis. Dissanayake's promises include renegotiating the agreements made with the IMF and a debt restructuring process that is more in line with the interests of the people. This will be a difficult negotiation process. The IMF's attitude towards countries in poor economic situations and in need of credit, which can only be described as robbery, is well-known. The implementation of economic reforms and the improvement of the people's welfare are among the most important factors that will determine how successful the Left Unity will be in government. In conclusion, the election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the head of state is an indication of the revival of left-wing politics in Sri Lanka and the people's search for socialist solutions to the economic crisis. The Left Unity, with its Marxist policies based on the fight against class inequalities and the fight against corruption, is a appealed to the segments and achieved an election victory. However, the extent to which the government can fulfill these promises and whether it can cope with the economic crisis are among the critical issues that will shape the political and economic future of Sri Lanka. The election of the candidate of the Left Unity as the president in Sri Lanka is also important in another way. In elections held in countries experiencing severe economic problems, the right and even the far right usually increase their votes more than the left. The parallel between the economic crisis and the strengthening of the left was in the past; there are also many examples to the contrary. We hope that this small country with a population of 22 million will be an important step in this regard. Another important aspect of the presidential election in Sri Lanka is that the left forces can act together. The phrase “the left must unite”, which is often used in our country, is actually an empty wish. In no country have the left forces achieved success by uniting. What led them to success - Sri Lanka is one example - is acting together. In the presidential election in Sri Lanka, the 21 organizations that formed the Left Unity did not unite, but they were able to act together. This was decisive.
