EU Denies Conducting Survey Predictions on Sri Lankan Presidential Elections!

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National elections in Sri Lanka are scheduled to be held in the upcoming months, leading to an increase in fake survey results being spread on social media. These false surveys often claim to predict the outcomes of the elections, misleading the public about the potential winners and creating confusion. Verifying such information through reliable sources is essential to ensure accurate and trustworthy election-related news.

Social Media Posts

Social media posts say that the European Union (EU) in Sri Lanka conducted a survey on upcoming presidential elections. It is claimed that as per the results, the EU office had predicted the National People's Power (NPP) party as the leading contender, with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party and SLPP being a distant second and third place.

FB | Archived

A related web article can be read here.

Fact Check

To verify the authenticity of these claims, we undertook the following steps:

Checked Official EU Sources: We meticulously searched the official websites and social media pages of the European Union and the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka. No survey related to the Sri Lankan presidential election was mentioned, and we couldn't find any previous instance of surveys conducted by the European Union to predict election results related to Sri Lanka.

Reviewed Mainstream Media Reports: We examined reputable mainstream media sources for any coverage or reports on such a survey. None of the mainstream media outlets had reported on this survey, indicating a lack of credible evidence.

Direct Communication with EU Official: To obtain a definitive answer, we directly contacted Bredal Lars, the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka. In response, he unequivocally stated, “The European Union is not conducting any survey, the information stating otherwise is false.”

EU tweeted on this matter, as seen below.

The European Union has not conducted election polls survey in Sri Lanka, as has falsely been reported.

— EU in Sri Lanka (@EU_in_Sri_Lanka) July 19, 2024

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Conclusion

Based on the thorough investigation, it is clear that the claims about the European Union conducting a survey predicting the NPP as the frontrunner in the Sri Lankan presidential election are entirely false. There is no official EU survey, and the information circulating on social media and certain web media reports is false and misleading.

We urge the public to rely on verified information from reputable sources and avoid spreading unverified claims that can contribute to misinformation.