Political Parties and Interest Groups

Constituent demands may be presented to the government by two broad categories of constituents: individuals and groups such as political parties and interest groups. Constituent demands in a political system are a way of linking the governed with the governors. The Sinhalese party system has also been in a state of change, especially in regard to the apparent demise of the Sri Lankan "old Left," which consists of the Communist Party and the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and its allies. Despite the national dominance of the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Sri Lanka has had three party systems: one for the Tamil-speaking minority in the north and the east, one for the Muslims, and one for the rest of the Sinhalese. Local interest groups function differently and are more influential than the national organizations. The chapter shows that Sri Lankan members of parliament receive a large number of individual requests from their constituents.