Senator Prapanth Koonmee has insisted that Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s prime ministerial candidacy cannot be resubmitted to parliament, after he failed to get the minimum 375 votes needed to approve his candidacy in the first ballot.
Meanwhile, the Move Forward party plans to submit a bill to the House, seeking to amend Section 272 of the Constitution to strip senators of the power to select the prime minister.
Move Forward secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said the party will meet with Pheu Thai today (Friday) to discuss their next move, which may include the submission of an urgent bill to amend Section 272.
Citing parliamentary regulation 41, he claimed that a motion, which was dropped in parliament, cannot be resubmitted in the same parliamentary session, unless parliament has not adopted a resolution on the motion.
He pointed out that Section 272 (second paragraph) opens the possibility for a motion for the selection of the prime minister to be resubmitted if at least half of the members of the two Houses formally ask the president of the parliament to call a for vote for the nomination of an outsider, who is not included in the lists of prime ministerial candidates nominated by political parties.
At least two-thirds of the members of the two Houses would need to vote in favour of such a nomination, adding that asecond motion for the selection of the prime minister couldthen be considered and the candidates nominated cannot be those already listed, said Prapanth. If so, Pita cannot be renominated for selection in parliament.
Meanwhile, House speaker and parliament president Wan Mohamad Noor Matha said he will call a meeting of Senate whips, representatives of the eight coalition parties and otherparties next week to discuss the next joint sitting to select the prime minister, scheduled on July 19th.
He expects the matter to be concluded that day, with the need for the third sitting.
Pheu Thai party leader Chonlanan Srikaew, meanwhile, admitted that there is only a slim chance of convincing more senators to vote in support of Pita’s candidacy, saying that most of them have a fixed mind-set, namely that the Move Forward party must not be included in the new government,and it is difficult to change their minds.
He added, however, that the eight coalition parties will meet to discuss preparations for the second sitting of the parliament, adding that the Pheu Thai party has no “Plan B” as this stage.
