Pita’s opposition party Move Forward clearly won the Thai parliamentary elections, and he recently failed in the election for head of government. Shortly before the second attempt, a court suspended his parliamentary mandate.
In Thailand, the Constitutional Court has ordered the suspension of the parliamentary mandate of prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat. The court announced that the measure will apply until a verdict is passed on the allegation that the opposition politician is said to have violated the right to vote. The decision came shortly before a planned new vote on the new head of government in Parliament and Senate.
The background is investigations into alleged shares in a media company that the 42-year-old is said to have owned during his candidacy. This is forbidden in Thailand. According to the constitutional court, Pita has 15 days to comment on the lawsuit. According to his earlier information, the media company in question, whose shares come from his father’s estate, has long been closed.
After the announcement of the Constitutional Court’s decision, angry Pita supporters gathered in front of Parliament and protested loudly.
Failed in the first ballot
Pita’s progressive party Move Forward (MFP) emerged as a surprise winner from the general election in May. Among other things, the 42-year-old wants to break up economic monopolies, abolish conscription and push generals out of politics. Particularly controversial is his party’s announcement that it would reform Article 112 of the Criminal Code, which punishes insults to the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison.
Pita’s supporters protested in front of the parliament after the court decision was announced.
Last week, Pita won a majority in the House of Representatives at the first attempt at the prime ministerial election, in which he ran unopposed. However, of the 250 members of the conservative, military-appointed Senate, only 13 voted for the opposition leader. Since the votes of both chambers are counted in the election of the head of government, Pita was missing 51 votes. Most senators were appointed by the military after the 2014 coup.
Despite being suspended as a member of parliament, Pita could be elected prime minister, according to media reports. But it is becoming more and more questionable whether he will get the necessary majority of votes.