24/01/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday, 23 January, the European External Action Service spokeswoman welcomed the announcement of parliamentary elections in Thailand on 24 March, the first since the 2014 coup. According to her, the adoption of the Royal Decree “enabling general elections to be held in Thailand and the Election Commission’s subsequent announcement of 24 March as the election date are important steps towards restoring democracy in Thailand”. Considering the lifting of restrictions placed on political activities in December as a positive starting point, the spokeswoman stated that the EU was looking forward to “an open and peaceful election campaign, in which the freedom of expression needed for a democratic process is ensured”. “We expect credible, competitive, and inclusive elections with a level playing field for all parties, followed by the appointment of a democratically elected civilian government”, she emphasised. (CG)