evidence: What is the conjuncture [1] in Sri Lanka, two years after the surge and ebb of the citizens’ movement (‘Aragalaya’); and in the run-up to a presidential election scheduled for late this year – the first ballot of the people since August 2020? [...] Following the Aragalaya booting out Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP—People’s Front) strong armed the office of the president for Ranil Wickremesinghe; in exchange for him safeguarding the personal security and political survival of la prima famiglia. Through this pact between the party of government and the leader-for-life of the United National Party (UNP) the political crisis generated by the socio-economic convulsions of 2021-2022 was submerged. It is resurfacing in the lead-up to the presidential election expected between mid-September and mid-October this year.