The National People’s Power won a parliamentary election that will allow the country’s new president to unroll his reform agenda, including broader welfare assistance.

Party of Sri Lanka's new Marxist-leaning president is leading in parliamentary elections, results show. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

In the first major political test for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's NPP, Sri Lanka on Thursday headed to elect a new parliament. Back in September, the ruling party failed to secure 50 percent of the vote in the presidential elections.

The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats

The party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took a large lead Friday in early results from the parliamentary elections, in an apparent solid mandate for his program for economic revival.

After parliamentary elections, Sri Lanka’s new president now has a commanding majority to pass his reform agenda.

In the past four years, the share of people living below the poverty line in Sri Lanka has risen to 25.9 per cent. The World Bank forecasts the economy to grow by just 2.2 per cent in 2024. Mr Dissanayake needs his alliance to win a two-thirds majority of 225 seats in the legislature to press forward with his reform package.

Sri Lanka’s National People’s Power led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake achieved a historic two-thirds majority in the parliamentary elections. The party won 159 seats, marking the first such victory under the proportional representation system.

The New Democratic Front and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna lagged behind with three and two seats respectively. Voter turnout for these elections was around 65%, lower than September's presidential election which had nearly an 80% turnout.