Photo courtesy of The Bangkok Post
In the latest Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) polling, the net favourability ratings of all major party leaders fell significantly in June from their May ratings. NPP/JVP leader A.K. Dissanayake’s rating fell 16 points to -29 points and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa’s favourability rating fell 37 points to -48. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa continued to have the most negative rating at -90. President Ranil Wickremesinghe had a rating of -52.
Favourability estimates for each month are based on 100 to 500 interviews conducted during that month and during a few weeks before and afterwards to ensure a minimum set of responses. The June 2023 estimates are based on 416 (Sajith Premadasa), 365 (A.K. Dissanayake), 424 (Ranil Wickremasinghe) and 181 (Gotabaya Rajapaksa) interviews.
Negative scores, i.e., a net favourability rating of less than zero, means that the individual or institution is unpopular. Only positive scores, i.e., net favourability is more than zero, mean that the individual or institution is popular on average.
SLOTS surveys a national sample of adults (ages 18 and over) reached by random digit dialling of mobile numbers, and others coming from a national panel of respondents who were previously recruited through random selection. SLOTS tracks favourability by asking respondents if they have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of a public figure or institution: net favourability being the average of the positive (+100) and negative (-100) responses. All estimates are weighted to match the national population with respect to age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sector, province and past voting preference. Monthly estimates are based on samples of 100+ interviews pooled from interviews in each month and from weeks before and afterwards.
IHP is an independent, non-partisan research centre based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The SLOTS lead investigator is Dr. Ravi Rannan-Eliya of IHP, who has trained in public opinion polling at Harvard University and has conducted numerous surveys over three decades.