Thai election runners-up agree coalition with government-aligned party
- Nation has been unable to form new government since May’s polls, when the reformist Move Forward Party won the most seats but had no majority
- Its closest rival, Pheu Thai, has announced a partnership with another party, Bhumjaithai, thanking it for helping to ‘step over this political deadlock’
Thailand’s election runners-up announced a fresh coalition with a government-aligned party on Monday as lawmakers attempt to overcome resistance from military and pro-royalist senators to break a political deadlock.
The kingdom has been unable to form a government after the reformist Move Forward Party (MFP) fell short of a majority, despite winning the most seats in May’s polls, and was later excluded from a progressive coalition.
MFP rode a wave of support from young and urban Thais weary of almost a decade of army-backed rule but spooked Thailand’s powerful conservative establishment with pledges to break up business monopolies and amend strict royal defamation laws.
The party’s closest rival, Pheu Thai, announced the new partnership on Monday with another party, Bhumjaithai, bringing together a total of 212 seats in the Thai parliament’s lower house.
A previous eight-party coalition headed by MFP failed to get leader Pita Limjaroenrat elected prime minister after he was blocked by junta-appointed senators opposed to his determination over the lese-majesty laws.
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Thailand’s Pheu Thai party splits from Move Forward, nominates Srettha Thavisin as prime minister
Pheu Thai announced last week the progressive party had been excluded from the coalition, saying support for Pita’s bid had stumbled over MFP’s stance on lese-majesty reform.