List of prime ministers of Sri Lanka
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This is a list of Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka since the creation of the position in 1947, prior to the formation of the Dominion of Ceylon. The Prime Minister of Ceylon was the head of the government until 1978. In 1972, the country was named as the Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka and the position was known as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from then onwards. In 1978, the position of the Executive President was introduced, resulting in the powers of the Prime Minister being reduced. Under the current constitution of Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister is the Head of the Cabinet.
Prime Ministers of Ceylon (1947 - 1972)
| # | Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left Office | Parliament | Political party | Notable events and achievements | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Don Stephen Senanayake | File:Ds portrait.jpg | October 14, 1947 | March 22, 1952 | First Parliament[N 1] | United National Party | D. S. Senanayake was the first Prime Minister of Ceylon. | |
| 2 | Dudley Shelton Senanayake (1st term) |
File:Dudley senanayake.gif | March 26, 1952 | October 12, 1953 | First Parliament, Second Parliament |
United National Party | Dudley Senanayake was appointed as Prime Minister following the death of his father, D. S. Senanayake. His party won at the general elections held in June, 1952, and he continued in the office without a re-appointment. Dudley Senanayake resigned in 1953.[1] | |
| 3 | John Lionel Kotalawela | File:Sir John Kotelawala.jpg | October 12, 1953 | April 12, 1956 | Second Parliament | United National Party | Sri Lanka joined the United Nations under the leadership of Kotalawela.[2] | |
| 4 | Solomon Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike | File:Swrd bandaranaike.gif | April 12, 1956 | September 26, 1959 | Third Parliament | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Bandaranaike changed the official language of the country from English to Sinhalese. He was assassinated before his term of office ended. [3] | |
| 5 | Wijeyananda Dahanayake | File:Dahanayake.gif | September 26, 1959 | March 21, 1960 | Third Parliament | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Dahanayake was appointed following the assasination of Bandaranaike | |
| 6 | Dudley Shelton Senanayake (2nd term) |
File:Dudley senanayake.gif | March 21, 1960 | July 21, 1960 | Fourth Parliament | United National Party | Senanayake's government was defeated after one month. Senanayake continued to serve as Prime Minister until 21 July 1960. | |
| 7 | Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (1st term) |
File:Sirimavo Bandaranaike.gif | July 21, 1960 | March 27, 1965 | Fifth Parliament | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the world's first female prime minister.[4] She was not a member of Parliament at the time of appointment, and was appointed to the Senate on 2 August 1960. | |
| 8 | Dudley Shelton Senanayake (3rd term) |
File:Dudley senanayake.gif | March 27, 1965 | May 29, 1970 | Sixth Parliament | United National Party | ||
| 9 | Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (2nd term) |
File:Sirimavo Bandaranaike.gif | May 29, 1970 | March 22, 1972 | Seventh Parliament | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Sirimavo Bandaranaike declared the country a republic, and its name was changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka.[4] | |
Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka (1972 - present)
| # | Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left Office | Parliament | Political party | Notable events and achievements | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (2nd term) | File:Sirimavo Bandaranaike.gif | March 22, 1972 | July 23, 1977 | First National State Assembly[N 2] | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Sirimavo Bandaranaike nationalized many companies in the plantation sector and imposed restrictions on several imports. This led to the downfall of the country's economy, and she was defeated in the general elections of 1977, with allegations of corruption which later led to her expulsion from Parliament.[4] | |
| 10 | Junius Richard Jayewardene | File:Jayewardene.gif | July 23, 1977 | February 6, 1978 | Second National State Assembly | United National Party | Jayewardene introduced the Executive Presidency in 1978, and assumed the position of President of Sri Lanka.[5] | |
| 11 | Ranasinghe Premadasa | February 6, 1978 | March 3, 1989 | Second National State Assembly, 1st Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka[N 3] |
United National Party | Premadasa was the first Prime Minister to be appointed after the constitutional changes of 1978, with powers of the position reduced significantly. | ||
| 12 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunge | File:Wijetunga.gif | March 3, 1989 | May 7, 1993 | 2nd Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | United National Party | Wijetunge resigned from the post on 28 March 1990, but was re-appointed two days later, on 30 March 1990. | |
| 13 | Ranil Wickremesinghe (1st term) | File:Rani Wickremasinghe Kalutara Rally.jpg | May 7, 1993 | August 19, 1994 | 2nd Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | United National Party | Wickremesinghe was appointed as the Prime Minister when Wijetunge was appointed as the President of Sri Lanka, following the assassination of the former President, Ranasinghe Premadasa. | |
| 14 | Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga | 
|
August 19, 1994 | November 14, 1994 | 3rd Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Chandrika Kumaratunga served as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for a short period, before contesting in the presidential elections in 1994 and being elected as president.[6] | |
| 15 | Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (3rd term) | File:Sirimavo Bandaranaike.gif | November 14, 1994 | August 10, 2000 | 3rd Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Sirimavo Bandaranaike was appointed as the Prime Minister when Chandrika Kumaratunga was appointed as the President of Sri Lanka. | |
| 16 | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (1st time) | 
|
August 10, 2000 | December 9, 2001 | 3rd Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Wickremanayake assumed the office of the Prime Minister following the death of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. | |
| 17 | Ranil Wickremesinghe (2nd term) | File:Rani Wickremasinghe Kalutara Rally.jpg | December 9, 2001 | April 6, 2004 | 4th Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka, 5th Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka |
United National Party | Wickremesinghe's term of office ended early when the then president Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed his government and called for a general election in 2004.[7] | |
| 18 | Mahinda Rajapaksa | File:Mahinda Rajapakse.jpg | April 6, 2004 | November 21, 2005 | 6th Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Freedom Party, as part of United People's Freedom Alliance | ||
| 19 | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (2nd term) |
|
November 21, 2005 | Present | 6th Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Wickremanayake was appointed as Prime Minister when Rajapaksa assumed the office of the President of Sri Lanka | |
See also
Notes
- ^ The Parliament was known as the "House of Representatives" from 1947 to 1972
- ^ In 1972, the country was named "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka", and the Parliament was named as the National State Assembly.
- ^ Under the constitutional changes of 1978, the country was renamed as the "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka", and the Parliament was referred to as "Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka".
References
- General
- "Former Prime Ministers" (.html). www.priu.gov.lk (Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka). Retrieved 2008-10-04.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|accessdaymonth=,|month=,|accessyear=,|accessmonthday=, and|coauthors=(help) - "Handbook of Parliament - Prime Ministers" (.jsp). www.parliament.lk. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|accessdaymonth=,|month=,|accessyear=,|accessmonthday=, and|coauthors=(help)
- Specific
- ^ "Dudley – the reluctant Prince". Buddhika Kurukularatne. www.dailymirror.lk. 2007-6-19. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Sir John Kotelawala". Sunday Observer. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com. 1996-4-16. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Bandaranaike, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias". history.com. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ a b c "Sirimavo Bandaranaike: First woman premier". BBC News. news.bbc.co.uk. 2000-10-10. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ "Former Sri Lanka president dies, leaves mixed legacy". cnn.com. 1996-11-1. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Hon Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (1994-2005)". www.priu.gov.lk. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ "Sri Lanka". www.thehistorychannel.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
