The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) has secured a sweeping victory in the 2025 Local Government Elections — but not without a major warning sign. Despite winning 3,927 seats and leading 266 local government bodies, the NPP has lost a staggering 2.3 million votes compared to the general election held just six months ago.
The NPP, led by the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, received 4,503,930 votes (43.26%) in the latest poll, a steep decline from the 6,863,186 votes (61.56%) it amassed in the November 2024 general election. This 2,359,256-vote drop has raised serious questions about the party’s ability to retain public trust amid growing discontent and shifting political allegiances.
Still, the NPP remains the dominant force at the local level, controlling 23 Municipal Councils, 26 Urban Councils, and 217 Pradeshiya Sabhas.
The opposition, meanwhile, is gaining ground. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), under the leadership of Sajith Premadasa, came in second with 2,258,480 votes (21.69%) and 1,767 seats. The party now leads 13 local bodies, including 2 Urban Councils and 11 Pradeshiya Sabhas. Notably, the SJB improved its vote share by 289,764 votes from the previous general election, where it earned just 1,968,716 votes (17.66%).
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), or Pohottuwa, led by Namal Rajapaksa, has staged a surprising comeback. The party nearly tripled its vote count from 350,429 (3.14%) in November to 954,517 (9.17%) in the local elections — an increase of 604,088 votes.
Sarvajana Balaya, led by businessman-turned-politician Mr. Dilith Jayaweera, also showed modest growth, increasing its vote tally from 178,006 (1.6%) to 294,681 (2.83%), a gain of 116,675 votes.
