In a powerful and unprecedented show of political strength, Sri Lanka’s iconic Galle Face Green turned into a crimson sea on May Day 2025, as between 150,000 to 200,000 supporters of the National People’s Power (NPP) gathered for the ruling party’s first Workers’ Day celebration since coming into power.
Wearing red shirts, waving party flags, and chanting slogans, the crowd filled the sprawling grounds with an energy that signalled more than just a celebration of labour—it marked the dawn of a new political chapter. At its helm was President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who addressed the crowd with the fervour and conviction that has now become synonymous with his leadership style.
“For decades, we came to May Day rallies hoping for change. Today, we are no longer on the sidelines—we are the Government,” Dissanayake said, greeted by thunderous applause from a crowd that seemed both euphoric and resolute in their support.
This year’s rally, unlike any in recent memory, was not merely a commemoration of the working class. It was a political statement, a show of might, and a reaffirmation of the mandate the NPP claims it received on September 21, 2024—a date Dissanayake hailed as “the day of the people,” when Sri Lankans swept away what he termed “the political debris” of the past.
Breaking the chain of dynasties
Throughout his speech, Dissanayake launched a scathing critique of Sri Lanka’s traditional political families, accusing them of treating the country as a private inheritance.
“Power was passed like a family heirloom—from father to wife, wife to daughter and uncle to son. Those days are over,” he said, referring to the political elite who, in his view, corrupted governance and widened inequality over decades.
He painted the NPP’s rise as the culmination of 65 years of grassroots struggle—built not on patronage or wealth, but on resilience and belief. “We have waited, we have been abandoned, we have been tested. But our people stood with us—and they brought us here,” he said.
Six pillars for a new Sri Lanka
Shifting from rhetoric to reform, the President laid out the six key pillars of the NPP’s agenda: clean governance, national unity, a strong public sector, rule of law, international cooperation, and economic stability.
Central to this vision, he said, was a system of justice where no one regardless of rank or affiliation would be above the law. Institutions such as the CID, Attorney General’s Department, and CIABOC, he said, were being empowered to function without political interference. “Justice will be applied equally. No more bending the truth to protect the powerful,” Dissanayake said.
On reconciliation, Dissanayake said the NPP’s support from the North and the East, praising the faith shown by Tamil-speaking voters despite the linguistic limitations of the party’s campaign.
“They chose us, not because of ethnicity or language, but because they believed in our principles. We will protect their rights and dignity like any other citizens,” he added.
The President called on workers and Trade Unions to look beyond isolated demands and contribute to a larger national mission.
“We have increased salaries and benefits even before being asked. This is not the time for petty strikes. It’s a time to unite, not for individual gains but for collective national progress,” he said.
A challenge to the Opposition
While many other May Day rallies took place across Colombo and the country, none came close to matching the scale or spirit of the NPP’s rally.
In stark contrast, the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) hosted its event in the quiet hills of Talawakelle, far from the capital’s political pulse. Framed as a grassroots gathering under the theme “Workers’ Power in the Battle to Win the Village,” the SJB rally, led by its leader Sajith Premadasa, struck a tone of critique rather than celebration.
Premadasa accused the Government of resorting to deception ahead of the upcoming Local Government Elections on May 6.
“The Government has delivered nothing. They made grand promises—fuel at landing cost, 35,000 graduate jobs, poverty reduction. But what have they done? A bag full of lies,” he said. Citing rising shootings and lawlessness, he questioned the NPP’s claims of restoring law and order. “They can’t even provide salt despite being surrounded by the sea,” he said.
Premadasa’s speech, however, marked the only high point of the rally. He left the event soon after his address, leading to a noticeable exodus of attendees. Organisers were left scrambling to retain an increasingly thinning crowd, leaving several SJB stalwarts to speak to near empty chairs.
SJB MPs such as Nalin Bandara and Palani Digambaram attempted to draw attention to neglected estate communities and the importance of Talawakelle’s tea workers. However, their speeches lacked the momentum to match the scale of the NPP’s capital rally.
The age-old United National Party (UNP), once known for its mammoth May Day processions through Colombo, opted for a radically different approach this year. Eschewing central rallies, the party organised around 5,000 pocket meetings across the island, claiming that mass gatherings were an outdated form of political engagement. However, insiders said that some of these meetings had to be quietly cancelled due to low attendance—an indication, perhaps, of the party’s waning grassroots energy and relevance in the current political landscape.
The once-dominant Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) held its May Day rally at the Ananda Samarakoon Outdoor Theatre in Nugegoda. Once able to attract hundreds of thousands, the SLPP rally was a muted affair, more focused on positioning Namal Rajapaksa for the 2029 Presidential bid than on labour rights. Rajapaksa used the platform to defend the party’s legacy, warning President Dissanayake that the “Pohottuwa” (the SLPP symbol) loyalists remain strong and unafraid of persecution.
He criticised the NPP, accusing it of forgetting the working class who helped bring it to power. “They now chase their own political dreams. The working class is no longer their concern,” he said.
Yet, for all his bravado, the scale and energy of the SLPP event paled in comparison to the mass mobilisation seen at the Galle Face Green.
With Local Government elections just days away, Dissanayake used the May Day rally to turn up the political heat.
“This Government is yours. Let every corner of governance reflect honesty, justice, and equity,” he said. The rally concluded with a clear message: this was not just a May Day celebration, but a call to action. From a party once in political wilderness to now standing at the helm of the state, the NPP’s journey crowned by the visuals of a red-clad crowd under the Colombo sun marks a political transformation whose next chapter will be written in the coming polls.
The President’s final words were a promise: “Let’s build a country our future generations will be proud of.”
