One year after Aragalaya protestors left Galle Face Green in August 2022, a recent Verité Research survey reveals 60% doubt the movement fulfilled people’s wishes. 51% emphasize fixing corrupt governance for Sri Lanka’s rebuilding. The survey reflects views on priorities, with 51% highlighting governance rectification, 34% urging economic system change, and 15% prioritizing stability over democratic space. Conducted in June 2023, the nationally representative survey captures the sentiments of 1,008 Sri Lankan adults. 

The report of the survey is given below

Approximately 60% of the public do not believe that the ‘Aragalaya’ movement led to the wishes and aspirations of the people being fulfilled, a new survey by Verité Research has found.   

Moreover, 51% of the respondents said that corrupt and bad governance needs to be fixed in order to rebuild Sri Lanka, one year since Aragalaya protestors vacated Galle Face Green on 10 August 2022.   

The Aragalaya protest movement had a significant presence in Galle Face from 9 April 2022 till 10 August 2022.   

Wishes and aspirations fulfilled?

To the question ‘Do you think the Aragalaya led to the wishes and aspirations of the people being fulfilled?’, 60% responded with ‘mostly no’, 11% with ‘mostly yes’, while 29% said they have ‘no opinion’.   

The appointment of a new prime minister and a cabinet of ministers, and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa were some of the important events which took place during this period.   

Governance, stability or economic system?

The respondents were also asked, ‘Out of the following statements, which one would you endorse the most?’ 

1.) In order to rebuild the country, it is necessary to give priority to stability over democratic space

2.) In order to rebuild the country, it is necessary to fix corrupt and bad governance

3.) In order to rebuild the country, it is necessary to change the economic system   

A majority of the respondents – 51% – believe that it is necessary to fix corrupt and bad governance. 34% desire a change in the economic system and 15% consider it necessary to give priority to stability over democratic space. 

Implementation of the survey   

The poll is conducted as a part of the syndicated survey instrument by Verité Research and the polling partner was Vanguard Survey (Pvt) Ltd.Thesyndicated survey instrument by Verité Research also provides other organisations with the opportunity to survey the sentiments of the people of Sri Lanka. The sample and methodology are designed to limit the maximum error margin to under ±3% at a 95% confidence interval. The poll is based on an island wide nationally representative sample of responses from 1,008 Sri Lankan adults, conducted in June 2023.