A key Pheu Thai member has attacked a proposal that would force political parties to unveil their prime ministerial candidates before elections.
Chaturon Chaisaeng said on Saturday that the idea, put forward by the Constitution Drafting Committee, was simply part of a push to allow for a non-elected prime minister.
The CDC is considering new rules on the selection of a prime minister. It has endorsed suggestions that the country’s leader can be chosen from outside the ranks of elected MPs.
The latest proposal is for parties to submit a list of between one and five candidates prior to an election, with parliament then choosing the prime minister from the list after the election. Each party would have complete freedom to nominate anyone they wanted, even if they are not an MP.
Mr Chaturon said he suspected CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan was using his legal expertise to craft an electoral system that would open the way for a non-MP to become prime minister. He urged the committee to listen to different views on the issue.
The proposal demonstrates that the CDC is trying to rule out elections as a solution to the country’s problems and bring in “powers from outside the democratic system”, said Mr Chaturon, who was education minister in the Yingluck government.
“The first step would be to allow for the appointment of a non-elected premier and then create conditions for this to happen,” he said.
“There is no need to hold elections today if the rules are not democratic and the people’s voice is not heard.”
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday called on the CDC to calm the critics by adhering to the principle that a prime minister must be an elected representative.
He urged the CDC to clarify whether it would allow a non-elected premier and on what grounds, and to explain the reasons why political parties would be required to disclose their candidates for prime minister in advance.
The explanations should help the new constitution gain wider acceptance, Mr Abhisit said.
Mr Meechai has said there was a misunderstanding of the CDC’s desire to dictate who would be eligible for premier.
He said the CDC only intended that a list of prime ministerial candidates be presented before an election. Who would be on the list would be up to the parties.
After an election the parliament would pick one of the candidates as prime minister.
The idea was for the people to be informed about the preferred candidates of each party ahead of an election, he said.
The list would have to be approved by the entire party, which should stop the practice of key party figures having sole power to decide nominations.
Mr Meechai said it would be up to the parties to choose an MP or non-MP.