After the Senate bash, a coalition will convene.
Following the Senate’s decision on Monday to keep the current dual majority necessary to secure a vote on a fresh high law, the decision Pheu Thai Party will match with its coalition partners to discuss a new constitution.
After the treatment, the Upper House voted 164-21 with nine vetoes to keep the dual majority condition. The bill passed by the Senate committee that oversees the mandate election was also supported.
A combined committee is expected to be established to sort out disagreements between the Lower and Upper Homes regarding the size of the bulk required to pass a referendum on the president’s update of the 2017 constitution, according to Prime Minister’s Office Minister Chousak Sirinil.
But this could wait the time frame for a federal election, tentatively scheduled for Feb 2 second time, the same day as the election of people of municipal operational institutions, he said.
In light of this, Pheu Thai will need to meet with coalition party officials to discuss what steps should be taken, according to Mr. Chousak. Some partnership parties have suggested changing Part 256 of the constitution to allow a charter-writing system to create a new one.
” If a new contract is drawn up this way and passed by parliament, it can be put to a vote directly aside”, Mr Chousak said, adding that law act was part of the president’s policy statement.
Nikorn Chamnong, one of the minority members of the Senate committee vetting the bill, said he disagreed with the change to a double majority during the debate prior to the Senate vote on Monday because it would be difficult for a new charter proposal to win a referendum.
” It is unlikely that the people’s constitution will be enacted during the remaining three years of the government’s term. In order to save money, the charter referendum should be held on February 2nd, 2019, along with the elections for members of provincial administrative organizations, according to Mr. Nikorn.
After Monday’s vote, the next step is for the Senate to send the bill back to the House of Representatives. If the House agrees with the Senate’s changes, it can send it to the prime minister to seek royal endorsement.
But if the House disagrees, a joint House-Senate committee will be set up to iron out their differences. The bill will be suspended for 180 days if the Lower House and the Upper House ca n’t come to terms.
Afterwards, if more than half of the members of the House of Representatives still vote in favour of the bill, it will be sent for royal approval, though this process will take a long time, according to observers.
The double majority refers to two conditions that must be met before a referendum result can be deemed binding.
First, more than 50 % of eligible voters must have taken part in the referendum, and the majority of those who cast their ballots must have approved it.
Previously, some minority senators pointed to irregularities in the Senate committee’s decision and raised concerns over delays to the first referendum.
Sen Nantana Nantavaropas, a committee member, said it appeared to her that someone had manipulated the Senate committee’s vote.
Sen Chattrawat Saengphet, the committee chairman, meanwhile, shrugged off criticism that the decision was intended to delay the bill.