1.3 Political context

In 2018, Sri Lanka transited to an upper-middle-income country according to the World Bank definition, with a per capita GDP of US$ 4102.5 (however, in July 2020, World Bank downgraded Sri Lanka to lower-middle-income status). This led to a change in the beneficiary status for foreign aid and a limiting of the developmental assistance to the country. The economy grew markedly in the post-conflict period (8.0% in 2010) but has shown a declining trend at 4.5% in 2016 and 3.2% in 2018.

The poverty headcount ratio was reported as 4.1 in 2016 (World Bank, 2020) and the income share held by the lowest 20% at 7.0, a decline from 8.7 in 1990 (World Bank, 2020). The main sectors of the economy are tourism, and tea, apparel and textile export while overseas employment contributes substantially towards foreign exchange earnings (Ministry of Finance, 2019).

1.3 Political context

The documented history of the country begins with the arrival of the first Indo – Aryan immigrants from the north-western region of India, in the fifth century BC. The island was ruled by kings from then on, until the last kingdom, the kingdom of Kandy, was ceded to the British in 1815 (De Silva, 2005). The more recent political history of the country has been greatly influenced by its history as a British colony.

In 1948, the country received autonomy within the British Commonwealth as the Dominion of Ceylon and continued to be governed as a parliamentary democracy. A new constitution adopted in 1978 provided for an elected executive president and a unicameral parliament. The President is the head of State, head of government and the commander in chief. The President heads the cabinet and appoints ministers from among the members of parliament. The Parliament of Sri Lanka is a 225-member legislature with 196 members elected from 22 multi-seat electoral districts and 29 elected from the national list allocated to the parties and independent groups in proportion to their share of the national vote (Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 1978).

With the Thirteenth amendment to the Constitution in 1987, the administration was decentralized, and nine provincial councils were created. Provincial councils are directly elected for a 5-year term. The leader of the council’s majority party serves as the chief minister and is assisted by a board of provincial ministers. A provincial governor and a provincial secretary, who is the head of the provincial administration, are appointed by the President. Below the provincial level are several elected bodies. Municipal councils and urban councils are responsible for the administration of municipalities