Democrat Party urge majority rule

Democrat Party urge majority rule

Process for selecting PM crucial, Abhisit says

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva helps MP candidates during his campaign in Sukhothai on Friday. (Photo from @Abhisit_DP Twitter account)
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva helps MP candidates during his campaign in Sukhothai on Friday. (Photo from @Abhisit_DP Twitter account)

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday called on political parties to make sure the mechanism of majority rule is observed in the prime ministerial vote and in the formation process of the next coalition government.

"I'm calling on every party to find an internal process and clarify who the majority MPs will choose as the prime minister and support as a government. If everyone agrees, the outcome of the elections will reflect the people's voices," he said.

Mr Abhisit's call highlighted concerns that a party that wins the largest number of House seats might fail to form a coalition government after the polls because the regime-appointed senators would vote to choose Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as the prime minister and force a minority coalition.

Gen Prayut, also chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), accepted an invitation to be the prime ministerial candidate of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).

It is believed he is guaranteed solid support from the 250 senators to be appointed by the NCPO.

Gen Prayut on Friday defended the role of the senators, saying they could act independently at their own discretion.

However, critics argued there is a conflict of interest involved because the National Council for Peace and Order gets to pick the senators.

Mr Abhisit on Saturday called on Gen Prayut to give his word that he would not "dominate" the Senate in the prime ministerial vote, if he agrees that the Senate should remain free from political interference.

"Actually he [Gen Prayut] should encourage the Senate to support whoever receives the mandate from the people to form a government," he said.

"If he does, people will feel comfortable. There is a conflict of interest here that shouldn't have existed."

The Democrat leader said the regime-appointed senators should also respect the voters' mandate and help build the international community's confidence in the country's democratic process.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a Democrat MP candidate and a former member of the Election Commission, echoed the call, saying parties should keep to tradition by adhering to the mechanism of majority rule.

"Don't let the concern materialise. A certain party may use the Senate as a conduit to nominate a prime minister even though it hasn't won [the most seats] in the elections," he said.

PPRP spokesman Kobsak Pootrakool on Saturday said the 250 senators are a key element in determining the shape of the national administration while a government should muster support from more than half of the House of Representatives to be able to work.

However, he said it is too early to say which party will win the largest number of House seats in the March 24 polls and which parties the PPRP will work with.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate, on Saturday pleaded with voters in Nong Khai to vote for Pheu Thai, saying the party needs a landslide victory to overpower the coup-appointed senators and ensure the people's voice is heard.

According to Khunying Sudarat, the party expects to pull in at least 70,000 votes in every constituency to capture the House seats necessary to form a government and lift the country out of economic misery.

The Pheu Thai veteran was accompanied by Panthongtae Shinawatra, son of fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as she helped the party candidates solicit support in this northeastern province.

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