Nacho Sánchez Amor, Member of the European Parliament from Spain and Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Sri Lanka, has presented the mission’s preliminary findings on the 21 September presidential election.
“The 2024 presidential election marked a pivotal moment for Sri Lanka, being the first major election since the economic and political crises of 2022. The Election Commission demonstrated independence and resolve, ensuring transparency at all critical stages. The election provided voters with genuine political choices, and the campaign was largely peaceful and energetic. However, the advantage of incumbency skewed the playing field, and manipulative digital campaigns aimed to confuse voters,” said Sánchez Amor at a press conference in Colombo.
He noted that election day was calm and orderly, with well-trained polling staff facilitating voting at all polling stations observed by the EU EOM. The first count of ballots was also well-organised, although some locations were crowded.
Citizen observers and party agents played an important role in ensuring transparency at polling stations, counting centres, and during result tabulation. The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) earned stakeholders’ trust through its transparent management, despite its limited enforcement powers. The Commission worked closely with civil society and took a firm stance against the misuse of state resources during the campaign.
The legal framework for the election provided a strong foundation for democratic practices, with recent reforms enhancing privacy protections and regulating campaign finance. However, some new and proposed laws could potentially restrict political freedoms.
The campaign was competitive, and fundamental freedoms were largely respected. While media coverage of the presidential race was dynamic, there was limited non-partisan scrutiny and analysis that could have helped voters make more informed decisions.
National fact-checkers and civil society groups positively contributed to the election process, helping to flag disinformation, monitor rule violations, and highlight the misuse of incumbency.
“While the election framework supports democratic practices, improvements are needed to further refine the process, including enhancing transparency in political finance and promoting greater participation of women in public and political life,” added Sánchez Amor.
The EU EOM, which has been in Sri Lanka since 14 August, deployed over 70 international observers across all nine provinces. The mission will continue monitoring the post-election environment and will release a final report with recommendations in the coming months.
