The Future Forward Party (FFP) has reiterated its position against a prime minister coming from outside of Parliament after the March 24 election.
The party remains opposed to the provision in the constitution that allows a non-MP to be a prime minister, Future Forward secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul said at a news conference late Friday.
Reading from a statement at the end of one of the most tumultuous days in recent political history, after the Thai Raksa Chart party confirmed Princess Ubolratana as its prime ministerial candidate, Mr Piyabutr said: “Political parties that adhere to democracy must strictly abide by the principle that the prime minister must be an MP.”
He also urged Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to step down from the prime minister’s post and as a member of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) after he decided to represent the Palang Pracharath Party as its lone candidate for the premiership.
Neither Gen Prayut nor Princess Ubolratana will be standing as party-list candidates in the election.
The constitution allows the government and NCPO to remain in power — with the authority to name a 250-member Senate and exercise the near-dictatorial powers of Section 44 — until a new government is formed after the election.
Gen Prayut’s presence as the government and military junta leader represented “conflicts of interest” that stood in the way of a free and fair election, said Mr Piyabutr.
He refused to comment when asked about which party Future Forward would support between Palang Pracharath and Thak Raksa Chart if one of them emerged as a front-runner to form a government.
“We have confirmed Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit to be the candidate for prime minister,” was all he would say.
