The opposition’s efforts to portray the cyclone response as another case of state failure have not resonated widely with the public, limiting their impact on generating negativity toward the government.
Macro Media Political Analysis
A rally for unity—without a united Opposition
The Nugegoda rally functions less as a protest against the Government than as a stage for smaller parties to stake their claim to leadership of the anti-government camp.
Reception of the Budget: Constraints, credibility, and the IMF
A Budget widely recognised as IMF-aligned is still gaining positive traction, shaped by public perceptions of pragmatic crisis management rather than ideological change.
“Ratama Ekata – Jathika Meheyuma”: NPP high on legitimacy
The NPP’s “Ratama Ekata – Jathika Meheyuma” reframes the anti-drug drive as a unifying national mission — a moral struggle that rallies citizens across political and communal lines against a shared threat to the nation – one that penetrates deeply into the collective mind.
Government on UNHRC resolution: Pragmatic or perilous?
Foregoing the UNHRC Resolution vote was cast as a pragmatic approach —avoiding defeat and prioritising domestic accountability. Critics, however, saw it as perilous – a chance missed to assert resistance.
Weligama chairperson murder: Retribution frame for government; reputational risk for SJB
The assassination of Weligama PS Chairperson and SJB Member Lasantha Wickramasekara reignited debate on accountability and political culture. The government’s framing of the killing as an underworld feud appeared to legitimise retribution, blurring boundaries between justice and vigilantism.
Three narratives on the cabinet reshuffle
The cabinet reshuffle sparked competing narratives: some saw it as image management, while others saw it as power consolidation, highlighting tensions over the government’s reformist image.
Lawyer-police altercation: A bruising verdict on class and condescension
The lawyer-police altercation over a parking spot escalated into a major public debate that overwhelmingly rejected class-based condescension, with social media siding with the ‘working-class’ constable over the ‘élite’ lawyer.
Bill on punishment: The reform takes a beating
The backlash on the Bill to prohibit punishment of children reveals how child protection reform extends beyond law—becoming a cultural contest between modern rights and entrenched notions of order.
Thajudeen case: Justice revived, or politics replayed?
The Thajudeen case mirrors Sri Lanka’s political culture — where distrust in institutions fuels both sides: the government invokes it to expose past abuses, while the opposition recasts it as proof of present persecution.










