• Top left: D. S. Senanayake became the first prime minister of Ceylon in 1947.
• Top right: Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the first female prime minister of Ceylon and also its longest-serving prime minister, holding the office for over 17 years on three separate occasions.
• Bottom left: Ranasinghe Premadasa was the longest uninterrupted serving prime minister, holding office for over 10 years from 1978 to 1989.
• Bottom right: Ranil Wickremesinghe has served as prime minister four separate times and has been sworn in on six occasions, the most of any Sri Lankan prime minister.

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There have been fifteen prime ministers of Sri Lanka since the creation of the position in 1947, prior to the independence of the country (then known as Ceylon). The prime minister of Ceylon was the head of the government until 1972. In 1972, the country was renamed as the Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka, and the position was known as the prime minister of Sri Lanka from then onwards. The prime minister also held the unified Ministry of External Affairs and Defence until 1977, when the government of J. R. Jayewardene split the ministry into two ministries, forming the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1978, after Jayewardene became the president, new constitutional changes were introduced. The position of the executive president was introduced, resulting in the powers of the prime minister being reduced. The president became the head of state and chief executive,^[1] and the prime minister became a weak head of government.^[2]

Under the current constitution of Sri Lanka, the prime minister is the leader of the Cabinet business and also functions as a deputy to the president. In the event a president dies in office, the prime minister becomes the acting president until the Parliament convenes to elect a successor or new elections can be held to elect a new president. Such was the case in 1993, when President Ranasinghe Premadasa was assassinated and Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga took office as president.^[3]

On 28 April 2015, the Parliament approved the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka which gives the power of the government to the prime minister, while the president remains the head of state, head of the Cabinet, and commander-in-chief.^[4]

Of the fourteen prime ministers who have held the office since the introduction of the position in 1947, one has held the office four times, two have held office thrice, and two have held office twice. Six prime ministers have gone on to become president of the country.^[5]

Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as prime minister the most times in the country's history, on six occasions (May 1993, December 2001, January 2015, August 2015, December 2018 and May 2022),^[6][7] whilst Dudley Shelton Senanayaka and Sirimavo Bandaranayake have each been appointed three times. Mahinda Rajapaksa is the only prime minister who was suspended from his duties by the Supreme Court,^[8][9][10] becoming the first de facto prime minister of Sri Lanka in 2018.

List of prime ministers

Parties

  United National Party (7)   Sri Lanka Freedom Party (7)   Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (2)

No.		Portrait	Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title	Term of office Electoral mandates Time in office		Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister	Political party of PM (Alliance)	Government		Refs
	1		D. S. Senanayake දොන් ස්ටීවන් සේනානායක டான் ஸ்டீபன் சேனாநாயக்க (1883–1952) Mirigama	24 September 1947	22 March 1952†	Minister of External Affairs and Defence	United National Party	D. S. Senanayake	1st	[11]
				1947
				4 years, 5 months and 27 days
				The first Prime Minister of Ceylon. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom during his term of office. Died in office.[12]
	2		Dudley Senanayake ඩඩ්ලි ෂෙල්ටන් සෙනානායක டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா (1911–1973) Dedigama	26 March 1952	12 October 1953	Minister of External Affairs and Defence Minister of Agriculture & Lands & Minister of Health & Local Government	United National Party	Dudley Senanayake I	1st 2nd	[11]
				1952
				1 year, 6 months and 16 days
				Appointed as Prime Minister following the death of his father, D. S. Senanayake. His party won at the general elections held in 1952, and he continued to hold office without re-appointment. Resigned amidst the 1953 Ceylonese Hartal.[13]
	3		Sir John Kotelawala ශ්‍රිමත් ජෝන් කොතලාවල சேர் ஜோன் கொத்தலாவலை CH, KBE, KStJ, CLI (1897–1980) Dodangaslanda	12 October 1953	12 April 1956	Minister of External Affairs and Defence & Minister of Transport & Works	United National Party	Kotelawala	2nd	[11]
				—
				2 years and 6 months
				Sri Lanka joined the United Nations during Kotelawala's term of office.[14]
	4		S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike සොලමන් වෙස්ට් රිජ්වේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சாலமன் வெஸ்ட் ரிட்ஜ்வே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கா (1899–1959) Attanagalla	12 April 1956	26 September 1959†	Minister of External Affairs and Defence	Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna)	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike	3rd	[11]
				1956
				3 years, 5 months and 14 days
				Bandaranaike changed the official language of the country from English to Sinhalese. He was assassinated during his term of office.[15]
	5		Wijeyananda Dahanayake විජයානන්ද දහනායක விஜயானந்த தகநாயக்கா (1902–1997) Galle	26 September 1959	20 March 1960	Minister of External Affairs and Defence	Mahajana Eksath Peramuna	Dahanayake	3rd	[11]
				—
				5 months and 23 days
				Appointed following the assassination of Bandaranaike. Following disagreements with the members of his government and party, he was forced to dissolve the parliament.[16]
	(2)		Dudley Senanayake ඩඩ්ලි සේනානායක டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா (1911–1973) Dedigama	21 March 1960	21 July 1960	Minister of External Affairs and Defence	United National Party	Dudley Senanayake II	4th	[11]
				March 1960
				4 months
				Senanayake's government was defeated within a month. Senanayake continued to serve as prime minister until 21 July 1960.
	6		Sirimavo Bandaranaike සිරිමාවො රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே (1916–2000)	21 July 1960	25 March 1965	Minister of External Affairs and Defence	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Sirimavo Bandaranaike I	5th	[11]
				July 1960
				4 years, 8 months and 4 days
				Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the world's first female prime minister.[17] She was not a member of Parliament at the time of her appointment, and was appointed to the Senate on 2 August 1960.
	(2)		Dudley Senanayake ඩඩ්ලි සේනානායක டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா (1911–1973) Dedigama	25 March 1965	29 May 1970	Minister of External Affairs and Defence	United National Party	Dudley Senanayake III	6th	[11]
				1965
				5 years, 2 months and 4 days
				Senanayake was elected prime minister for the third time, when his party formed a coalition government with the help of six other parties, after an election which did not give a clear majority to any party. The agriculture sector was given high priority during his term of office.[18]
	(6)		Sirimavo Bandaranaike සිරිමාවො රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே (1916–2000) Attanagalla	29 May 1970	23 July 1977	Minister of External Affairs and Defence & Minister of Planning & Employment	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Sirimavo Bandaranaike II	7th	[11]
				1970
				7 years, 1 month and 24 days
				Sirimavo Bandaranaike declared the country a republic, and changed the name of the country from Ceylon to Sri Lanka.[17] Nationalized many companies in the plantation sector and imposed restrictions on several imports. This led to the downfall of the country's economy and her defeat in the 1977 general elections.[17]
	7		Junius Richard Jayewardene ජුනියස් රිචඩ් ජයවර්ධන ஜூனியஸ் ரிச்சட் ஜயவர்தனா (1906–1996) Colombo West	23 July 1977	4 February 1978	Minister of Defence Minister of Planning & Economic Affairs & Minister of Plan Implementation	United National Party	Jayewardene	8th	[11]
				1977
				6 months and 12 days
				Introduced the executive presidency in 1978 and became president.[19]
	8		Ranasinghe Premadasa රණසිංහ ප්‍රේමදාස ரணசிங்க பிரேமதாசா (1924–1993) Colombo Central	6 February 1978	2 January 1989	Minister of Local Government, Housing & Construction	United National Party	Jayewardene	8th	[11]
				—
				10 years, 10 months and 27 days
				The first prime minister to be appointed after the constitutional changes of 1978, with the powers of the position reduced significantly.[20]
	9		Dingiri Banda Wijetunga ඩිංගිරි බණ්ඩා විජේතුංග டிங்கிரி பண்ட விஜேதுங்க (1916–2008) Yatinuwara	6 March 1989	7 May 1993	Minister of Finance & Minister of Labour & Vocational Training	United National Party	Premadasa	9th	[11]
				1989
				4 years, 2 months and 1 day
				Appointed in a surprise move by President Ranasinghe Premadasa. Wijetunga himself reacted in surprise at the appointment.[3] He resigned from the post on 28 March 1990 but was reappointed two days later on 30 March 1990. Ascended to the presidency following Premadasa's assassination.
	10		Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (born 1949) Biyagama	7 May 1993	19 August 1994		United National Party	Wijetunga	9th	[11]
				—
				1 year, 3 months and 12 days
				Appointed as prime minister following the assassination of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa and Wijetunga's ascension to the presidency.[21]
	11		Chandrika Kumaratunga චන්ද්‍රිකා බණ්ඩාරනායක කුමාරතුංග சந்திரிகா பண்டாரநாயக்கே குமாரதுங்கா (born 1945) Attanagalla	19 August 1994	12 November 1994		Sri Lanka Freedom Party (People's Alliance)	Wijetunga	10th	[11]
				1994
				2 months and 24 days
				Served as the prime minister for a short period, before contesting in the 1994 presidential elections and being elected as president.[22]
	(6)		Sirimavo Bandaranaike සිරිමාවො රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே (1916–2000) National List	14 November 1994	9 August 2000		Sri Lanka Freedom Party (People's Alliance)	Kumaratunga	10th	[11]
				—
				5 years, 8 months and 26 days
				Sirimavo Bandaranaike was appointed as the prime minister for a third and final term when her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga was appointed as the president of Sri Lanka. Resigned in 2000.[17]
	12		Ratnasiri Wickremanayake රත්නසිරි වික්‍රමනායක ரத்னசிறி விக்கிரமநாயக்க (1933–2016) Horana	10 August 2000	7 December 2001		Sri Lanka Freedom Party (People's Alliance)	Kumaratunga	10th 11th	[11]
				2000
				1 year, 3 months and 27 days
				Wickremanayake assumed the office of prime minister following the resignation of Sirimavo Bandaranaike.[2]
	(10)		Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (born 1949) Colombo	9 December 2001	6 April 2004		United National Party (United National Front)	Kumaratunga	12th	[11]
				2001
				2 years, 3 months and 28 days
				Wickremesinghe's term of office ended early when President Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed his government and called for a general election in 2004.[23]
	13		Mahinda Rajapaksa මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ (born 1945) Hambantota	6 April 2004	19 November 2005	Ministry of Highways	Sri Lanka Freedom Party (United People's Freedom Alliance)	Kumaratunga	13th	[11]
				2004
				1 year, 7 months and 13 days
				Appointed as prime minister of the cabinet that was formed after the elections following the dismissal of Wickremesinghe's government by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. He won the presidential elections in 2005 and was appointed President of Sri Lanka.[24]
	(12)		Ratnasiri Wickremanayake රත්නසිරි වික්‍රමනායක ரத்னசிறி விக்கிரமநாயக்க (1933–2016) National List	19 November 2005	21 April 2010		Sri Lanka Freedom Party (United People's Freedom Alliance)	Mahinda Rajapaksa	13th	[11]
				—
				4 years, 5 months and 2 days
				Appointed as prime minister when Rajapaksa assumed the presidency.[2]
	14		D. M. Jayaratne දිසානායක මුදියන්සේලාගේ ජයරත්න திசாநாயக்க முதியன்சேலாகே ஜயரத்ன (1931–2019) National List	21 April 2010	9 January 2015	Minister of Buddhasasana & Religious Affairs	Sri Lanka Freedom Party (United People's Freedom Alliance)	Mahinda Rajapaksa	14th	[11]
				2010
				4 years, 8 months and 19 days
				Appointed as prime minister after the incumbent Sri Lanka Freedom Party won the parliamentary elections held in April 2010.
	(10)		Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (born 1949) Colombo	9 January 2015	26 October 2018	Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs	United National Party (United National Front for Good Governance)	Sirisena I	14th	[11]
				2015				Sirisena II	15th
				3 years, 9 months and 17 days
				Appointed as prime minister by President Maithripala Sirisena after his victory in the 2015 presidential elections and was re-elected in the 2015 parliamentary elections.
	(13)		Mahinda Rajapaksa මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ (born 1945) Kurunegala (de facto)	26 October 2018	15 December 2018	Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs	Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Sirisena III	15th	[11]
				—
				1 month and 19 days
				2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis: Appointed by Sirisena after the incumbent Wickremesinghe was suddenly dismissed by Sirisena. Rajapaksa's term was disputed by Wickremesinghe and Sri Lanka had two concurrent prime ministerial claimants. After failing to conduct a majority support vote in the house, Rajapaksa's duties were suspended by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.[25] Subsequently resigned from office to pave way for Wickremesinghe.[26]
	(10)		Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (born 1949) Colombo	16 December 2018	21 November 2019	Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs	United National Party (United National Front for Good Governance)	Sirisena IV	15th	[11]
				—
				11 months and 5 days
				Restored as prime minister after the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis.
	(13)		Mahinda Rajapaksa මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ (born 1945) Kurunegala	21 November 2019	9 May 2022	Minister of Finance Minister of Urban Development & Housing Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs	Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Gotabaya Rajapaksa I	15th	[11]
				2020				Gotabaya Rajapaksa II	16th
				2 years, 5 months and 18 days				Gotabaya Rajapaksa III
				Appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, following the resignation of Ranil Wickremesinghe after the 2019 presidential election and was re-elected in the 2020 parliamentary elections. Much of his tenure was plagued with major economic and political crises. Resigned amidst the 2022 Sri Lankan protests.
	(10)		Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (born 1949) National List	12 May 2022	21 July 2022	Minister of Finance	United National Party	Gotabaya Rajapaksa IV	16th	[11]
				—
				2 months and 9 days
				Appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, following the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa amidst the 2022 Sri Lankan political crisis. On 13 July 2022, he became the acting president of the republic as Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned amidst the protests and was outright elected as president a week later.
	15		Dinesh Gunawardena දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන தினேஷ் குணவர்தன (born 1949) Colombo	22 July 2022	Incumbent	Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government	Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Wickremesinghe	16th	[11]
				—
				1 year, 7 months and 21 days
				Appointed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe following his ascension to the presidency.

Timeline