President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasized that none of the candidates aspiring to run in the presidential election have announced their intention to abolish the executive powers associated with the position.

Addressing a forum of legal professionals, the President stressed that the executive power vested in the presidency played a pivotal role in the economic development of Sri Lanka and the resolution of the 30-year war.

Noting the executive presidency’s advantages and drawbacks, President Wickremesinghe said that there was a notable disconnect between the Executive President and the rest of the government, during the good governance government.

“The presence of executive powers was crucial in maintaining stability during the ‘Aragalaya’. This was evident when there was no clear successor for the premiership. On a particular occasion, when the President departed for Trincomalee, some individuals urged me to resign from my position as Prime Minister,” the President said.

“However, I asserted that I could only resign if there was a parliamentary majority, and even then, the resignation letter would need to be submitted to the President. Resigning under external pressure or due to personal reasons, such as threats to my residence, would risk the ascension of someone outside the democratic process to power,” the President explained.

President Wickremesinghe also assured that the government would hold the presidential election in the future.

“None of the candidates vying for the position have announced plans to abolish its executive authority. It’s imperative that we develop a program geared towards reinforcing the parliament’s role and capabilities,” he added.

President Wickremesinghe made these remarks while participating in the “What’s New” dialogue on legal reforms with young legal professionals at a workshop held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (May 28).