BANGKOK — Seven minor political parties on Monday called for a national unity government and for His Majesty the King to handpick the upper house.
At a news conference held at the Election Commission, representatives of the parties proposed that a national unity government is needed to break the state of political stalemate, in which no side has formed a functioning government nearly a month after the March 24 elections.
Although the idea of a unity government typically refers to the absence of an opposition in parliament, the group clarified that they’re calling for something different. Any party with at least one MP can choose not to join the grand coalition and instead serve as the opposition, they said.
The seven parties – all newly founded and little known – are Phakee Kruekai Thai, Paendin Tham, Palang Thai Dee, Paendin Thong, Paradornphab, Prachatai and Green parties. The seven parties today called themselves the “Political Unity Group”.
The group said it will engage “over 20 political parties” to seek support for the proposal.
The “Political Unity Group” also urged junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha to refrain from selecting the 250 Senators, as is specified in the current constitution. Instead, they said His Majesty the King should pick them.
Allowing the King to make the selection would ensure that Senators vote for the next prime minister impartially, the group reasoned, since incumbent PM Prayuth is himself a candidate for the top job.
Finally, the group called for a new formula for allocating party-list MP seats, which would see Pheu Thai lose potential seats in favor of small parties.
The “Political Unity Group” reasoned that even smaller political parties deserve to gain at least one seat each. It argued that Pheu Thai has gained too many seats, specifically 20, which should be allocated to 20 small parties who failed to win any seats.
