Newcomer Elected Thailand's Youngest Prime Minister
Thailand’s parliament has elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a political newcomer, as the country’s youngest prime minister. The 37-year-old was elected on Friday, following a dramatic shift in the country’s political landscape amid ongoing struggles between rival elite factions.
Paetongtarn, the daughter of the influential and controversial Thaksin Shinawatra, received strong support in the house vote. Her election comes just two days after Srettha Thavisin, her ally and predecessor, was removed from office by a judiciary central to Thailand’s complex political scene
Her rise to power is significant for the Shinawatra family, whose political dominance was challenged with their first election defeat in over twenty years last year. To form a government, they had to negotiate with their longstanding military adversaries.
Paetongtarn will be Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third member of the Shinawatra family to hold the position, following her aunt Yingluck and her father Thaksin, a highly influential and polarizing figure.
Winning with 319 votes, nearly two-thirds of the parliament, Paetongtarn was not present during the vote, watching from the Pheu Thai party headquarters.
She will face immediate challenges, including a struggling economy and declining popularity of her party, which has yet to fulfill its promised 500 billion baht ($14.25 billion) cash handout program.
Paetongtarn’s tenure will be tested in a hostile environment, with the recent dismissal of Srettha highlighting the turbulent nature of Thai politics, marked by coups, legal battles, and frequent changes in government. The Shinawatra family, along with their business allies, remains a central player in this ongoing political struggle against conservative, royalist factions.
