Early Life and Background

Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena was born on March 3, 1951, in Yagoda, a rural village in Sri Lanka’s Polonnaruwa District. He grew up in a modest farming family, where agrarian values and village life strongly influenced his worldview. He studied at Royal College in Polonnaruwa and later attended the Sri Lanka School of Agriculture. At a young age, Sirisena joined the youth wing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), laying the foundation for his long political journey.

Political Career and Early Roles

In 1989, Sirisena entered Parliament as the representative for the Polonnaruwa District. Over time, he earned trust within the SLFP and took on several major cabinet roles, including Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Health, and Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment. He gained public respect for his humble lifestyle, clean reputation, and dedication to public service. As Minister of Health, he led major campaigns to curb tobacco and alcohol use and introduced several public health reforms.

Presidential Candidacy and Election Victory

In 2014, Sirisena made a bold political move by leaving President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s cabinet and announcing his candidacy for the presidency. He ran as the joint opposition candidate, backed by a wide coalition that included the United National Party (UNP), civil society organizations, and minority political parties. He focused his campaign on promoting good governance, fighting corruption, and reforming the constitution. In a surprising electoral upset, he defeated Rajapaksa in January 2015 and became Sri Lanka’s 7th Executive President.

Presidency and Constitutional Reforms

Sirisena assumed office on January 9, 2015. One of his most significant achievements was passing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment reduced the executive powers of the presidency, restored presidential term limits, and strengthened independent commissions. Sirisena championed democratic principles, transparency, and national unity. He also promoted post-war reconciliation by supporting truth-seeking efforts and justice initiatives.

During his term, he formed an unusual political alliance with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who served as Prime Minister. Initially, many viewed this partnership as a model of cooperative governance. However, their relationship deteriorated over time, creating internal divisions and legislative gridlock.

Political Crisis and Security Failures

In October 2018, Sirisena triggered a major constitutional crisis when he attempted to replace Prime Minister Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Supreme Court later nullified the decision, but the episode seriously damaged Sirisena’s political credibility. In April 2019, a series of coordinated bombings on Easter Sunday killed over 250 people. Subsequent investigations revealed that the government had failed to act on key intelligence warnings. Many held Sirisena partially responsible for the security lapses and poor coordination among defense and intelligence agencies.

Legacy

Sirisena chose not to run for re-election in 2019 and returned to Parliament as a regular member. Historians and analysts view his presidency as a transitional era that introduced key democratic reforms—particularly the 19th Amendment. While he played an important role in dismantling authoritarian structures and restoring constitutional checks, his time in office also featured political instability and major security failures. Despite the controversies, Sirisena remains an influential figure in Sri Lanka’s recent political history.