Supreme People's Assembly leaders successfully formed a new ruling coalition yesterday, avoiding snap elections and allowing Chairman of the Presidium J.J. Hakimoto to serve the rest of his term.
As required by legislation passed at the 14-17 February plenary session, various party leaders held formal negotiations at Yurtpyitaw, Frontier Town, and the Foreign Residence on Saturday and Sunday. Po Er Kwa Deul, head of the right-wing Impoverished Yurtyzstanis' Front and former Vice-Chairman of the Presidium, left the talks Saturday after forming a partnership with the new People's Advance Party, linked with the People's Military. Over lunch on Sunday, Hakimoto and Social Democratic Party leader Yurt Myaung-hye signed an agreement to form a coalition. With the three Social Democrats and three moderate independents, the alliance gained majority status and automatically became the new governing party.
The deal coincided with Yurtpyitaw Day, a celebration of the establishment of the capital city on 23 February.
As the IYF is no longer part of the ruling coalition, Po was forced to forfeit his position. He was replaced by Yurt Myaung-hye, who began his political career as interim leader of East Yurtyzstan during the Reunification period and was appointed Chairman of the Treasury in October.
The new coalition will likely be more outwardly left-leaning, but government policy is not expected to undergo any major changes before the May 2014 elections. Hakimoto has expressed a desire to continue the implementation of his cultural development programme, beginning with a referendum on the Yurtyzstani language in early March.
