President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared that dynastic politics has been rejected by the people, saying the era in which political power was passed from parents to their children is now over.
Addressing a large public gathering at the Sinharagama Grounds in Nochchiyagama today (September 13), President Dissanayake said the political change brought about by the people on September 21, 2024, had ended the traditional practice of political families succeeding one another in positions of power.
“In our country, people generally used to think that if the father is the President, the son must also become the President. If the father is the Prime Minister, the son must also become the Prime Minister. That politics belongs to an old era—that is not modern politics,” he said.
The President said the September 21, 2024 election represented a decision by the people to move away from that form of politics.
“And that has now been changed,” he said.
President Dissanayake also said there were no political threats facing his administration.
He explained that the ongoing National People’s Power (NPP) nationwide rally series was not being held as a response to political opponents or to counter any perceived threat to the government.
Instead, he said the rallies were aimed at building a broad-based public movement capable of driving political, economic and social transformation in the country.
The President said the government’s focus was on creating a new political culture and moving away from practices that had characterized Sri Lankan politics for decades.
He emphasized that the mandate received from the people should be used to bring about lasting changes in the country’s political and social systems.
