March 24, 2025 – March 30, 2025 | Vol.15, #13
Events: On March 20, the Election Commission (EC) announced that the Local Government (LG) elections will be held on May 6, 2025.[1][2]
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Analysis
Over the past week, the Sinhala media – including print, television and social media platforms (monitored via Junkipedia, a social media monitoring and analysis tool) – provided limited coverage to the upcoming LG elections.[1]
Both political parties and media commentary have positioned the LG elections as a national-level contest that could either affirm or challenge the NPP government’s mandate.
In local electoral politics, LG elections that are held soon after the presidential and general elections are typically won by the incumbent party.[2] This pattern reflects a common public perception: that strengthening the governing party’s presence at the local level ensures greater alignment with national priorities and improves the ability of local governments to respond effectively to people’s needs and expectations.
The opposition and government figures are messaging the voter in two different ways.
Opposition messaging: Send a signal to the government
Opposition voices have portrayed the upcoming elections as an opportunity for voters to express their dissatisfaction with the NPP government’s performance and hold it accountable for unmet promises.
Government messaging: Strengthen the government
The NPP government appears to view the LG elections as a strategic opportunity to strengthen its mandate at the grassroots level. Drawing on its previous election campaigns, the party continues to emphasise its strong anti-corruption stance and commitment to political reform.[3]
By presenting itself as a corruption-free alternative, the NPP positions itself as the more capable and trustworthy choice for building and developing village-level governance – promising progress without financial irregularities or misuse of public funds.
[1] The MPA team monitored Facebook profiles, TikTok handles and YouTube channels using Junkipedia for the keywords election, province, local and nominations in Sinhala from March 24 to 28, 2025.
[2] See TMA Vol.08, #01.
[3] See TMA Vol.14, #38, Vol.14, #40 and Vol.14, #42.
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To view this week’s social media data, please click here.
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