Samer Allawi-Colombo

Sri Lanka's presidential election is set to take place on November 16.

For the first time, the names of the president, prime minister and opposition leader have disappeared from the list of candidates for the country's eighth election.

In contrast, the names of the ruling families return to the forefront of the political scene for the first time in the history of the country.

Gotabaya, brother of former President Narinda Rajapagsa, is competing with current housing minister Sagit (son of former president Ranasingh Premadasa), and in a precedent of 35 presidential candidates.

Al-Jazeera lists 35 candidates not including key political leaders

The importance of elections
The elections come a year after a severe constitutional crisis resolved by the judiciary by canceling the president's actions to dismiss the government and dissolve parliament and all the consequences.

But the Supreme Court's decision did not end the country's political divide, and Sri Lankans look forward to the presidential election ending it.

Sri Lankans attach particular importance to this election as it was the first to be held after the Passover attacks of April 21, which targeted churches and luxury hotels, killing more than 250 people and injuring hundreds, and claimed responsibility for the Islamic State, but Sri Lankan investigations The organization was unaware of the attacks before they occurred.

The Passover attacks revealed the extent of the crisis between the two institutions of government (the presidency and the prime minister).

Observers believe that these elections will have a significant impact on civil security and peace in Sri Lanka, and pave the way for parliamentary elections expected early next year.

Sri Lankan Muslims fear alliance of Gotabaya Rajapagsa with Buddhist extremists and Sinhalese nationalists (European)

Minorities
It is widely believed that minorities - who make up about 30% of the country's 22 million people - tend to vote for Sagith Bermiagasa.

On the one hand, Muslims are worried about Gotabaya Rajapagsa's alliance with Buddhist extremists and Sinhalese nationalists.

Tamil Hindus (12%) recall their widespread human rights abuses by Sri Lankan forces led by Defense Minister Gotaphaya.

Paradoxically, the war issue is brought together by the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Gotabaya and Sagith.

The organization assassinated President Premadasa and Sagith's father in 1993, and the battle against it was won in 2019 under President Rajapagsa's brother Gautabaya, then defense minister.

In order to woo Tamil voters (Muslims and Hindus), Premadasa pledged to preserve their Tamil identity and to include Tamil language in official transactions.

However, Tamil organizations have called for a boycott of the elections because of Rajapagsa's history in his war with the Tamils ​​and Primadasa's failure to respond to thirteen requests for support.

Although the percentage of Muslims does not exceed 10%, three Muslim personalities in the presidential elections, hoping to raise their popularity in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the first quarter of next year.

It is unlikely to win any of these candidates in these elections, especially since Muslim parties are linked to party alliances, and Muslims used to run on party lists.

Observers believe that Muslim candidates aim to improve their negotiating position with the next president.

Sri Lanka's eighth presidential election (Getty Images)

Electoral system
The nomination of 35 political figures for the presidential election set a historic precedent in Sri Lanka, prompting the General Election Commission to reconsider the traditional method of election.

One of the ironies of the Sri Lankan electoral system is the decisiveness of the electoral battle from one round and the absence of a second round. The voter chooses a president and two other preferred options from among the candidates.

An estimated 16 million voters are eligible to vote.

Although a single-round victory is seen as a feature of the electoral system, Sri Lanka's rising political forces see it as a consecration of the bipartisan system and denying the majority the opportunity to exercise its political right.

According to the statements of the General Election Commission, about 150 international observers participate in monitoring the elections, and represent international political bodies such as the European Union, ASEAN, SAARC and others.

Sri Lankan President Mithripala Sersina has instructed the military to maximize security to secure the presidential election.