Constitutional Court Suspends Pita Limjaroenrat As MP

Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat has been suspended as an MP, effective immediately, until the Constitutional Court reaches a verdict in his media shareholding case. The top court accepted the petition from the Election Commission (EC) unanimously and gave Pita 15 days to testify. Seven out of nine judges voted for the suspension.

• The suspension does not prevent Pita from being nominated for the Prime Minister position, as PM does not have to be an MP. However, the Constitutional Court's decision gives pro-military lawmakers another argument not to vote for him.
• Parliament is yet to debate the motion to elect Pita, with lawmakers currently discussing whether his re-nomination breaches parliamentary rules of procedure. As we type, Pita can still be seen sitting in the plenary hall.