Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972, replacing the British monarch with a ceremonial president. The first to hold this office was William Gopallawa, who had limited power under a parliamentary system.

The Executive Presidency Begins (1978)

A major shift occurred in 1978 when a new constitution introduced an executive presidential system. This gave the president significant authority. J. R. Jayewardene became the first executive president, promoting economic liberalization and centralizing power.

War, Development, and Conflict

Later presidents, such as Ranasinghe Premadasa, focused on poverty reduction and infrastructure, but faced the ongoing civil war with the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam).
In the 1990s and 2000s, leaders like Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa struggled to balance peace efforts with military action.

End of the Civil War (2009)

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency is remembered for ending the 26-year civil war in 2009 through military victory. However, his rule faced criticism for authoritarianism and alleged human rights violations.

Post-War Reforms and Crisis

Maithripala Sirisena was elected in 2015 with promises of reform and anti-corruption, but his term saw political instability and the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
His successor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, faced a historic economic collapse, leading to mass protests. He fled the country and resigned in 2022.

Leadership During Economic Turmoil

Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as president during the crisis and worked to stabilize the economy through IMF negotiations and reforms.

A New Political Shift (2024)

In 2024, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist-leaning leader, was elected president—marking a major shift away from traditional political parties and reflecting public demand for change and accountability.