This Thai they gave a clear message ballot box bestowing, by its pro-democracy nature, the reformist Move Forward party a victory that was as resounding as it was unexpected, obsolete structures a state strongly associated with Army and where the monarchy occupies a dominant position. Then, some keys detail who the reformists are and what they want.
Echoes of the color orange
HE progress partydisrupting all order, Thailand became the hero of the elections by imposing itself at the ballot box. 2020 organization of loud protestsassociated with Orangedemands important reforms for extraction forces both monarchy and Armyabsolute heroes of a hegemonic power in the country.
At the beginning of the formation Pita Limjaroenrat, 42 years oldsurpassing outgoing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the leader of a government that won more than 14 million votes and left the party coup between 2014. HE Pheu Thailanddependent on the strong shinawatra clanAlthough he started as a favourite, he finished second with approximately 11 million votes and 141 deputies.
HE Pheu Thailand and other associated entities shinawatra family They were repeatedly removed from power. pro-military and monarchical elitesby including I military coups 2006 and 2014 and dismissal Two prime ministers by court order in 2008.
“lèse majesté” reform
One of the main goals of Thai reform parties inside to change inside lese majesty lawaccording to which illegal scratchinsult king or any member Royal family threatened with imprisonment from three to 15 years. Some experts have called it “the strictest law of lèse majesté in the world” and “the strictest law of slander in the world”.
Controversial seat allocation
This Thai pro-democracy forces we added multiple 60% of the votea necessary result to obtain a power National Assembly It is governed by a system that supports the military. in the selection Prime minister to join 500 deputies between low camera elected at the ballot box and 250 carefully selected senators with former military junta (2014-2019). This system makes it difficult for the winner to form a government without the support of some senators who are at the ideological opposites of the reformist formation. The winner must now contact other parties to try to form a government.
Therefore, the opposition needs 376 of the 500 seats in the Assembly. National Assembly To counter the influence of 250 senators appointed by the military. In contrast, the military’s supporters only need 126 deputies to get a majority in the prime ministerial vote.