Sri Lanka’s parliament passed a constitutional amendment with two-thirds majority aimed at trimming presidential powers and beefing up anti-corruption safeguards.
Sri Lankan lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that trims the powers of the president, a key demand of protesters who are seeking political reforms and solutions to the country’s economic crisis.
Debate on the bill began on Thursday, and on Friday, 179 lawmakers from the governing coalition and opposition voted in favour of the motion and only one voted against it, ensuring the two-thirds majority in the 225-member house required to make the amendment law.
Sri Lanka has struggled for months to find enough dollars to pay for essential imports such as fuel, food, cooking gas and medicine.
Many Sri Lankans blame former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa
for implementing multiple failed policies including tax cuts, a
now-reversed ban on chemical fertilisers and delays in seeking
IMF assistance that resulted in the country defaulting on its
foreign debt for the first time in history.
As a response to widespread protests, Rajapaksa had backed
constitutional reforms that would reduce the powers of the
executive presidency and allocate them to parliament in June. He
resigned the next month after protesters stormed his office and
residence.
“This amendment will not only help bring about the system
change demanded by Sri Lankans it will also help in securing an
IMF programme and other international assistance to rebuild the
economy,” Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe told parliament.
READ MORE: Sri Lanka’s ousted leader faces arrest calls after return
Opposition not satisfied
In September, Sri Lanka signed an early deal with the
IMF for a loan of $2.9 billion, with pledges to improve
regulations to fight corruption.
Opposition parties and civil society representatives,
however, have slammed the amendment as not far-reaching enough
in promoting accountability and reducing government powers.
“This is just tinkering with presidential powers and the
amendment does not implement significant change,” said Bhavani
Fonseka, a senior researcher at the Centre for Policy
Alternatives, a Colombo-based think tank.
“The president still retains the power to prorogue
parliament, to hold ministries and the constitutional council
will still have mostly government appointees.”
The amendment was passed with the required two-thirds majority.
READ MORE: IMF agrees to loan $2.9B to cash-strapped Sri Lanka
Source: Reuters
Sri Lanka MPs vote overwhelmingly to trim presidential powers
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