Freedom People's Congress Explained

Freedom People's Congress
Native Name:නිදහස ජනතා සභාව
Leader:Dullas Alahapperuma
Headquarters:Koswatte, Nawala
Country:Sri Lanka
Founders:Dullas Alahapperuma
G. L. Peiris
Split:Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
Membership Year:2020
National:Samagi Jana Balawegaya
Leader1 Title:Deputy Chairman
Affiliation1 Title:Regional affiliation
Seats1 Title:Parliament of Sri Lanka
Seats2 Title:Sri Lankan Provincial Councils
Seats3 Title:Local Government
Colours: Blue

The Freedom People's Congress (Sinhala; Sinhalese: නිදහස ජනතා සභාව Nidahasa Janatha Sabha) is a political party in Sri Lanka founded by Dullas Alahapperuma, G. L. Peiris and several other former Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MPs in 2022.[1]

History

The party was formed after a faction of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MPs led by Dullas Alahapperuma defected from the Rajapaksa-led party on 31 August 2022, and chose to sit in opposition as an independent group of MPs.[2] This followed Alahapperuma's decision to stand in the 2022 presidential election, against the wishes of the majority of his party, who instead supported then-acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe.[3]

A few days after the defection, the newly independent group named themselves the Freedom People's Congress, opening an office in Nawala.[1]

In December 2023, the G. L. Peiris announced that the FPC would form an alliance with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the main opposition party, in 2024.[4] This alliance was launched as the Samagi Jana Sandanaya, and endorsed SJB leader Sajith Premadasa as its presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential elections.[5]

Ideology

Founding member Charitha Herath stated that the party's aim was to introduce reforms to free Sri Lankan politics from corruption and nepotism and instead promote meritocracy.[1]

The party's strategic framework emphasised the need to create political freedom and economic freedom, primarily through fiscal conservatism and free market capitalist economic policies, but also including interventionist policies such as foreign exchange controls.

Notes and References

  1. News: . Freedom People's Congress formed to free country of corruption, nepotism and political ignorance. Daily FT. 3 September 2022. 11 January 2023.
  2. Web site: 2022-08-31 . SLPP Chairman G. L. Peiris & several SLPP MPs become independent . 2023-01-11 . Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst . en.
  3. News: SLPP to support Ranil in parliamentary vote for president . 15 July 2022 . Ada Derana . 20 January 2023 . 15 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220715132518/http://www.adaderana.lk/news/83670/slpp-to-support-ranil-in-parliamentary-vote-for-president . live .
  4. Web site: 17 December 2023 . G.L. Peiris to build a broad opposition force with SJB .
  5. Web site: Sajith confirmed as Samagi Jana Sandanaya’s common Presidential candidate Daily FT . 2024-04-12 . www.ft.lk . English.