Thailand's reformist leader Pita Limjaroenrath, who won the election, is blocked as prime minister

Pita Limjaroenrath leaves parliament in Bangkok on Wednesday after he was removed from office pending an investigation into allegations of violating election law. new prime minister.

Pita Limjaroenrath, the charismatic leader of the reformist Forward Forward Party, won a surprise election victory in May after inspiring young and urban voters fed up with the status quo after almost a decade of army-backed rule.

But conservative senators and the judiciary blocked Mr. Pita's candidacy for prime minister on Wednesday, raising the possibility of street protests and demonstrations.

«I think the public is full of anger right now because 14 million people have voted for the party,» said Chalida, a 28-year-old Forward Movement supporter. «Now people are downcast because some politicians don't seem to respect their voices.»

Although Mr Pita emerged as the largest party in parliament and formed a majority coalition in the lower house, Mr Pita's bid to lead the government has always faced headwinds from those wary of his reformist agenda, including promises to relax the country's lèse-majesté laws that criminalize criticism of the royal family.

Mr Pita's legal and political challenges clashed Wednesday when a constitutional court suspended him from the position of deputy because of the shares of a non-existent media company, which implies a violation of electoral rules.

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A joint vote by the Conservative Senate and the elected lower house prevented Mr. Pita from being nominated for a second time as Prime Minister.

“Obviously, in the current system, winning the trust of the people is not enough to govern the country,” Mr. Pita wrote on Instagram after leaving the House to applause. «I'll be back.»

The 42-year-old Harvard graduate who claims the shares were owned by his father and that the media company has been out of business since 2007 now has 15 days to respond.

Protesters immediately announced plans to take to the streets on Wednesday night amid widespread discontent with Mr. Pita's treatment and the broader state of Thai politics. In the past 20 years, there have been two coups, three major parties have been disbanded, and hundreds of MPs have been disqualified.

«The pattern is repeated, it's clear and obvious — and people are coming to the conclusion that it's a fabricated, twisted system,» said Titinan Pongsudirak, a professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. «Voting doesn't really solve everyone.»