New Lanka Freedom Party

{{Infobox political party

| name = New Lanka Freedom Party

| logo =

| colorcode = blue

| leader =

| president =

| chairman = Vacant

| founder = Kumara Welgama

| dissolved =

| general_secretary = Peshala Jayarathne

| first_secretary =

| secretary_general =

| presidium =

| secretary =

| spokesperson =

| merger =

| split = Sri Lanka Freedom Party

| predecessor =

| foundation = {{Start date |2020}}

| ideology = Social democracy
Sinhalese nationalism
Left-wing nationalism

| position = Centre-left

| national = Samagi Jana Balawegaya {{small|(2020–2024)}}
New Democratic Front {{small|(since 2024)}}

| headquarters = Battaramulla, Colombo

| international =

| seats1_title = Parliament

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|225|blue}}

| seats3_title = Local Government

| seats3 = {{Composition bar|5|8741|blue}}

| website =

| country = Sri Lanka

| native_name = නව ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය
Nava Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya

| symbol =
Hare

}}

The New Lanka Freedom Party ({{langx|si|නව ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය}}, Nava Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya) is a political party in Sri Lanka which was founded by ex-SLFP politician Kumara Welgama in 2020. The party is known for its close ties with former president of Sri Lanka and former leader of the SLFP Chandrika Kumaratunga, who, like Welgama, has been a vocal critic of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

History

Welgama had been a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until 2019, when he defected from the party due to its support for the presidential candidacy of SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the upcoming presidential elections, paving the way for the return of the Rajapaksa family to Sri Lankan politics.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-09 |title=Decision to support SLPP will dissolve SLFP : MP Kumara Welgama |url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/10/09/decision-to-support-slpp-will-dissolve-slfp-mp-kumara-welgama/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst |language=en}} Welgama instead supported UNP candidate Sajith Premadasa. In 2020, Welgama founded his own political party named the New Lanka Freedom Party, which joined the SJB alliance led by Premadasa to contest in the 2020 parliamentary elections.{{Cite web |date=12 March 2020 |title=Kumara Welgama pledges support to Sajith |url=http://www.themorning.lk/kumara-welgama-pledges-support-to-sajith/}}{{Cite web |date=12 March 2020 |title=Kumara Welgama's new political party joins Samagi Jana Balawegaya |url=https://colombogazette.com/2020/03/12/kumara-welgamas-new-political-party-joins-samagi-jana-balawegaya/}}{{cite web |title=CBK And Welgama Decide To Support Sajith Premadasa And Samagi Jana Balawegaya At Upcoming Parliamentary Election |url=https://www.asianmirror.lk/news/item/30956-cbk-and-welgama-decide-to-support-sajith-premadasa-and-samagi-jana-balawegaya-at-upcoming-parliamentary-election |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308053114/http://asianmirror.lk/news/item/30956-cbk-and-welgama-decide-to-support-sajith-premadasa-and-samagi-jana-balawegaya-at-upcoming-parliamentary-election |archive-date=2020-03-08 |website=www.asianmirror.lk}}

On 5 September, 2022, former president Chandrika Kumaratunga declared the headquarters of the New Lanka Freedom Party open, located in Battaramulla, Colombo.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-05 |title=Sri Lanka ex president Kumaratunga declares open New Lanka Freedom Party HQ |url=https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-ex-president-kumaratunga-declares-open-new-lanka-freedom-party-hq-99450 |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=EconomyNext |language=en}}

References

Category:2020 establishments in Sri Lanka

Category:Left-wing nationalist parties

Category:Political parties established in 2020

Category:Political parties in Sri Lanka

Category:Samagi Jana Balawegaya

Category:Sinhalese nationalist parties

Category:Social democratic parties in Sri Lanka