South Dovani

[Zanz]

Election Night 5625: NEWP-PIE Coalition Strengthened, RA and PPU Continue Slide

Udon Nakhon Post

April 5625

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Supporters of the Srirai government celebrated across South Dovani tonight as exit polling indicated that the coalition government of the New Elephant Worker's Party and the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs had grown its mandate from the 3 seat majority it held following the 5619 snap election to 16 seats. Prime Minister Srirai is expected to remain at the head of a government largely unchanged in half a decade as President Pichai Woraphon formally offered Srirai the right to propose a government.

The NEWP and PIE benefited from strong urban turnout, where voters have largely been supportive of the government's efforts both in engaging in more active foreign policy and in particular of efforts to modernize and liberalize the South Dovanian economy. Analysts believe the most important voting issue for supporters of the government parties was the relative success of the Green Energy Transition and Infrastructure Investment Act (GETIIA) passed in 5623. A long term vision for driving privatization and modernization in energy production and transport, GETIIA has already led to significant job growth in South Dovani's metropolitan areas.

Critics of GETIIA however note that it has already run behind time and over budget, and it drew criticism from both the left and right for being a betrayal of the Scarlet Rose Revolution and an overreach of government and major tax waste, respectively. The act is particularly unpopular in rural agricultural communities which still rely on coal for much of their heating and energy generation, a factor in a 5 seat gain for the Agrarian Solidarity Movement, according to analysts.

The most important story of the election was the continued slide of the Revolutionary Alliance and the Progressive People's Union, who lost another collective 20 seats this election on top of the 93 they lost in 5619. The RA has now fallen to become only the 5th largest party in the National Assembly after another gain by the United Conservative Front, which rode successes in the traditional south to a 2 seat increase over 5619.

Prime Minister Srirai addressed supporters in Udon Nakhom and stated that the government's success is due to the success of "common sense policies" both domestically and abroad.

@UdonNakhonPost