The party winning the elections in Thailand, the progressive Move Forward (Move Forward), announced yesterday that it will support the candidacy for prime minister of another party in its coalition after the blockade of unelected senators in Parliament to his candidacy.
The general secretary of Avanzar, Chaithawat Tulathon, indicated in a press conference that his formation will support the candidate proposed by the allied formation Pheu Thai with the aim of consummating the formation of a new government.
The progressive party’s decision comes after senators handpicked by the former Military Junta twice blocked this and last week the appointment as prime minister of Pita Limjaorenrat, leader of Avanzar, according to Efe.
The blockade in Parliament has created a political crisis and the start of protests led by students that are reminiscent of the mobilizations of 2020 and 2021.
In a statement, one of Pheu Thai’s potential candidates, Srettha Thavisin, indicated that he is willing to take up the challenge, but added that the party’s Executive Committee has yet to decide who to nominate.
In addition to Srettha, Pheu Thai has two other possible candidates: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whose family controls the party, and Chaikasem Nitisiri.
Avanzar and Pheu Thai lead a pro-democratic coalition of eight parties that add up to a majority of 312 of the 500 deputies in the Upper House, but 250 senators also participate in the election of the head of government, who are mostly pro-military and conservative.
The senators oppose Avanzar’s reformist agenda, especially its intention to reform the controversial lèse majesté law to reduce the penalties, currently between three and 15 years in prison, for anyone who criticizes the Royal Family.
This reform proposal is the main obstacle for the pro-democratic coalition to obtain a majority of votes in the Legislature.
In addition to seeing his candidacy blocked in Parliament on Wednesday, Pita was dismissed as a deputy that same day by the Constitutional Court for a controversial case related to the possession of shares in an inactive communication channel, a decision denounced as a political maneuver by Avanzar.
The Constitutional Court also accepted another complaint last week against Avanzar, accused of trying to “overthrow” the country’s democratic system for the lèse majesté reform proposal, which may mean disqualification and prison terms for its Board of Directors.
In February 2020, the Thai Justice already dissolved and disabled the leaders of Future Forward for a case of irregular financing, a few months after expelling its leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, from Parliament.
The deputies and politicians of the dissolved party refounded it under the brand Avanzar, which has against the pro-military and ultra-monarchical elite that promoted the coups of 2006 and 2014.
The Thai Constitutional Court disqualified the candidate for president by five votes to two. The decision came after a complaint against him for allegedly violating electoral rules by showing up to the polls as the owner of a package of shares in a media outlet, which is prohibited, although in this case the television channel has not operated since 2007.
The winner of the elections excused himself, explaining that the shares were part of his father’s estate, now deceased, and that they had been transferred to the family environment upon his death. He assured that he had limited himself to administering them as executor.
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