NEWLY-NAMED House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said the joint session to vote for a new prime minister will take place next Thursday (July 13) with this having been agreed upon with Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitchonchai, Sanook.com said this evening (July 5).
According to the military-designed constitution unelected senators, totalling 250, join the 500 MPs in voting for the new prime minister who will need at least 376 yea votes to be elected.
Wan Noor pointed out that in the past senators were not involved in voting for the prime minister but the 2017 constitution mandates they do so for a period of five years – that is from May 2019 to 2024.
Although there are concerns that Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat may not get enough votes from both MPs and senators, with the latter all being handpicked by de facto Ruam Thai Sang Chart boss/coup leader-turned-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan, Wan Noor said there is a chance that he will get enough votes in one go.
The eight-partners of the Move Forward-led coalition have a combined force of 312 MPs and will need at least 64 more votes from non-coalition MPs and senators.
If Pita does not get enough votes on July 13, Wan Noor said he will consider another round and if he still does not win sufficient support then Parliament would have to find a prime minister because the country needs someone to take the helm of government.
While the eight coalition partners have agreed that support the party with the largest number of MPs to form the government, Wan Noor pointed out that voting for the prime minister involves senators and if it were just the House of Representatives there would not be a problem because the combined force of 312 MPs is more than half of the total 500 MPs.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat, left, congratulating Wan Muhamad Noor Matha upon being elected House speaker yesterday, July 4, 2023. Photo: Matichon
Front Page: House Speaker and Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha. Photo: Sanook.com
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