UPSIDE DOWN The only certainty in the world we live today is uncertainty. In this ‘year of elections’ where eventually, an unprecedented number of people would have cast their vote in some 65 countries (estimates suggest that around half of the world’s citizens will vote this year), we have already witnessed seismic shifts in the balance of power, notably in two of Europe’s powerful democracies – the UK and France.

And the mother of all elections on 4 November will see the planet’s sole superpower vote for one of two main contenders, one of whom isn’t known at the time of going to press, following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from seeking reelection on 21 July!

Here at home, the only promise that’s likely to be kept is that of disruption and even mayhem as the powers that be (and a few pretenders) jostle to grab power in late September or October – although this promise could still be broken for one reason or the other.

What is also uncertain is how many of the 16 million or so registered voters will choose to vote for either ‘more of the same’ or ‘change’ since we have witnessed both scenarios being played out in at least the last two presidential elections.

As the spectre of corruption rises to unprecedented levels in our precious isle, so has the level of voter disillusionment with large numbers of adults seemingly sitting on the fence. So it could well be that they – along with nearly two million young and first time voters, according to some reports – will determine our fate on election day, if and when a date is announced.

For Sri Lanka as well as the world, 2024 promises to be a watershed in political history. And while we’ve been compelled to tighten our belts for more than two years, it may soon be time to fasten our seatbelts as well… as a nation on edge navigates the turbulence.

– Editor-in-Chief