Lanka SEP: Ballot Box Socialism

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and its youth movement, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), are participating in the upcoming local council elections in Sri Lanka. They are fielding candidates for two key councils: the Karainagar Divisional Council in the northern Jaffna district and the Kolonnawa Urban Council in the Colombo suburbs. The SEP and IYSSE are using these elections to advance a socialist program addressing the profound political and economic crisis gripping Sri Lanka. Their campaign highlights the Rajapakse government's disastrous economic policies, its crackdown on protests, and the austerity measures dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Central to their platform is the repudiation of foreign debt, the nationalization of banks and major industries under democratic workers' control, and the rejection of austerity measures that disproportionately affect the working class. They advocate for a united struggle of Tamil, Sinhala, and Muslim workers against capitalism, rejecting ethnic and religious divisions stoked by the ruling elites. The SEP and IYSSE are campaigning for a socialist program to address issues like the cost of living crisis, unemployment, and attacks on democratic rights, arguing that these problems stem from the capitalist system itself. They are explicitly calling for the building of action committees in workplaces and neighborhoods to fight for workers' rights and prepare for broader socialist transformation. Their participation in the elections serves as a platform to advocate for these socialist policies. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/05/01/sgob-m01.html