Sri Lankan lawmakers scrap their pensions, delivering on a campaign promise

Sri Lankan legislators have overwhelmingly voted to scrap their pensions, as the Marxist-leaning government fulfills a key campaign promise

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan legislators overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to scrap their pensions, in a bid to fulfill a key preelection campaign promise by the ruling Marxist-leaning government following anger over the country’s economic crisis.

Lawmakers passed the bill on Tuesday by 154 votes in the 225-member House, with only two against. The remaining legislators were not present during the vote.

In Sri Lanka, a lawmaker was previously entitled to a pension after serving a five-year term. The new law stops payments to anyone who already receives, or qualifies for, the pension. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, voted into office in 2024, pledged to end the practice during his election campaign.

In a similar move, Dissanayake’s government abolished perks provided to former presidents in September in response to popular demand. Those included state funding for housing, allowances, pensions and transport. An office and a staff for former presidents and their widows were also scrapped. There are currently five living pa