Pita Fails to Secure Enough Votes in the First Parliament Meeting
Thailand Political Development: Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the progressive More Forward Party, has failed to secure enough votes in Thailand’s parliament to be appointed prime minister. He received 324 votes in the 750-member parliament, falling short of the 376 votes he would need for the appointment. The Move Forward Party won 151 seats in May’s general election, later allying with seven other parties in the House of Representatives. However, the 312 seats held by this coalition in the 500-member House were offset by the 250-member appointed Senate. The next parliament sitting will likely fall on July 19, when members of parliament will reconvene to resolve the prime ministerial appointment. Meanwhile, Pita may face legal challenges after the Thai Electoral Commission referred his case—involving holding shares in a media company, which is grounds for disqualification—to the Constitutional Court on July 12.