In a joint House and Senate sitting, the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat for the position of prime minister was rejected, following a parliamentary regulation that bans it. The announcement was made by Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha after 715 parliamentarians voted electronically. The decision came after a lengthy debate on the issue today (19), and the rejection was by majority vote.
During the joint sitting, 394 parliamentarians, mainly unelected senators, voted against Mr. Pita’s renomination, while 312 voted in support, with eight abstentions and one not exercising the right to vote. As half the votes required for the joint sitting was 374, the number was adjusted after Mr. Pita’s suspension as an MP by the Constitutional Court earlier on the same day.
The parliament session was brought to a close, and the next attempt to choose a premier is scheduled for July 27, with the Pheu Thai Party expected to propose businessman Srettha Thavisin as a likely candidate. If the Pheu Thai candidate does not receive a majority, they will not get a second chance.
Before the vote, parliamentarians engaged in hours of debate regarding whether the renomination was permissible. Opponents argued that parliamentary session regulation No.49 prohibited resubmission of a failed motion during the same session, emphasizing that Mr. Pita’s nomination had been rejected the previous week without any new justifications for resubmission. Pro-Pita parliamentarians countered that the regulation applied to general motions, not prime ministerial nominations, and urged respect for the voters’ choice during the May 14 general election.
Following the vote, several senators and MPs left the parliament by boat from the rear of the compound to avoid encountering protesters gathered at the front of the complex. Security concerns were evident amid heightened tensions surrounding the renomination process.
-Bangkok Post-
