12th Parliament of Sri Lanka

The United National Front (UNF), a newly formed opposition alliance, became the largest group in Parliament by winning 109 of the 225 seats.

On 9 December 2001, President Chandrika Kumaratunga appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the UNF, as the new Prime Minister.

[4][5] The 12th parliament saw the only significant period of co-habitation between two major political parties in Sri Lanka (the SLFP and the UNP) since the introduction of the executive presidency in 1978.

Throughout this period, there were numerous disputes between President Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, particularly over the handling of the peace process with the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

[6] The political tension came to a head in early November 2003 when, as Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was out of the country, President Kumaratunga prorogued parliament, declared a state of emergency, sent troops into the streets of the capital and took control of three important ministries (defence, interior and media).