Democrat chief vows support for amending MP election, political parties laws
The Democrat Party will support bills to amend two organic laws on election of members of Parliament and political parties, the party leader said on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said his party would definitely vote to accept the principles of two bills of the ruling coalition that seek to amend the organic laws on MPs election and on political parties approved earlier by the Cabinet.
Jurin said the planned amendments to the two organic laws are significant and are related to the charter amendments proposed by his party.
Apart from the versions of the coalition, there are also versions submitted by the opposition.
Jurin said it would depend on decisions of the coalition whips as to whether the coalition MPs would vote to accept the principal versions of the bills submitted by the opposition or not.
“I think all versions of the MPs election bills have similar principles,” Jurin said. “But I think some versions of the political parties bills are different so we must consider them and obey the joint decisions of coalition partners.”
One of the bills to amend the political parties law was proposed by the main opposition Pheu Thai Party. The party proposed amendments to Section 28 and 29 of the political parties law to allow outsiders to provide useful advice to parties.
Currently, a political party faces dissolution if it allows an outsider to influence or dominate the party’s directions and affairs.
The amendments seek to change the electoral system to use two ballots for constituency MP elections and for party-list MP elections. The number of constituency MPs will also be increased from 350 to 400 and the number of party-list MPs reduced from 150 to 100.
Jurin expressed confidence that the amendment bills would pass the first readings following deliberations expected on Thursday and Friday.
