May 5, 2025 – May 18, 2025 | Vol.15, #17 & 18 | ISSN 3084-9330
Event: On May 6, the 2025 Local Government Election took place to elect councillors to 339 local authorities, including municipal councils, urban councils and pradeshiya sabhas.[1][2] The governing NPP secured the largest vote share, at 43.3 percent, in the election.[3][4]
Photo credits: Neth News
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Key insights
- The election was perceived as an evolving barometer of public sentiment on the performance of the NPP since the general election.
- Both the NPP and the opposition parties were viewed with cynicism of their behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to assert control in local councils – the parties were primarily viewed as being self-serving.
- Amshika’s death by suicide ignited a wave of public anger directed at the government’s conduct. The NPP had been expected to depart from the practices of previous administrations, particularly by upholding equal application of the law and responding swiftly to public grievances. However, its handling of Amshika’s death seemed to fall short of these expectations, and was consequently met with widespread criticism.
Analysis
Overview
In the two weeks following the 2025 Local Government Election, Sinhala media discourse – across print, television and social media platforms (as monitored through Junkipedia, a social media monitoring and analysis tool) – reflected a mixed reception to the election outcome.[1]
This week’s MPA explores the Sinhala media interpretation of the electoral outcome and the post-election sentiment in shaping the local government bodies.
I. How was the election result interpreted?
An analysis of the Sinhala media discourse suggests that the election result was perceived as an evaluation of the NPP government’s performance since the general election, with the outcome treated as a barometer of public approval of the government.
II. What is the post-election sentiment regarding the formation of local administrations?
The post-election media discourse was dominated by discussions about which party would secure control in councils where no single political party had won more than 50 percent of the seats.
An overview of the Sinhala media discourse reveals a sense of public cynicism towards the government and the Opposition for their perceived “power-grabbing” tactics in these hung councils.
Cynicism towards the government
The Sinhala media commentary was cynical of the NPP government, particularly over its decision to align with members of other political parties and independent groups to secure control of local government bodies (please refer to memes published in this issue of MPA).
As per the media reporting, the NPP campaigned claiming that it would not form alliances with other political parties nor with independent groups. The NPP campaign attempted to delegitimise such groups as breakaway factions or proxies of defeated traditional political parties.
At present, the NPP’s post-election strategy seems to be the exploration of partnerships with independent groups it previously criticised during the election campaign. This shift is framed as a contradiction between the party’s electoral promises and its subsequent actions.[2] This move has portrayed the party as hypocritical, and generated public unhappiness along two fronts.
First, there appears to be anxiety over the NPP’s decision, especially among those who seem to support the government. Public expectations of the party have largely been shaped by its promise to break from traditional political norms, particularly practices such as buying influence over politicians. This promise resonated with the broader call for a “system change”. Therefore, the NPP’s apparent backtracking on its stance seems to evoke anxiety among some sections of the public.[3]
Second, there appears to be mockery of the government, especially among those who oppose it. This mockery seems to be a boomerang effect of the government’s perceived readiness to align with the very parties and groups it had previously criticised.
Cynicism towards the Opposition
Sinhala media discourse tended to position the opposition political parties – including, but not limited to, the SJB, UNP and SLPP – as being engaged in a calculated power struggle for political control. Rather than focusing on serving the interests of the people, these parties were perceived as jockeying for control of local councils and – in doing so – prioritising their narrow interests for power over the wider interests of the public whom they were elected to serve.
[1] The MPA team monitored Facebook profiles, TikTok handles and YouTube channels using Junkipedia for the keywords local government, election, SJB and NPP in Sinhala from May 6 to 17, 2025.
[2] See MPA Vol.15, #16; Vol.15, #15.
[3] Ibid.
To view this week’s news summaries, please click here.
To view this week’s social media data, please click here.
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