Thailand’s Constitutional Court announced on Wednesday the dismissal of Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisinafter finding him guilty of violating the ethics code for the irregular appointment of a minister, just a week after the same court dissolved the largest opposition party.

The leader was accused of violating a ministerial code of ethics for appointing as finance minister at the end of April Pichit Chuenbanwho was sentenced in 2008 to six months in prison for attempted bribery of judicial officials.

The complaint was filed with the court by a group of 40 senators, hand-picked by the defunct military junta (2014-2019) and who finished their term in May, considering that the leader “knew or should have known that Pichit lacks qualification“to take office because of his conviction.

The court judges accepted the complaint on May 23, two days after the resignation of Pichit himself, a lawyer close to the influential ex-president. Thaksin Shinawatrawho returned from a 15-year exile last August. Srettha, who has been in office for a year, has maintained his innocence, arguing that his former minister had already settled his accounts with the courts and that his appointment followed legal procedures.

The match Phue Thaifor which the current leader was a candidate, was the second most voted party in last year’s elections (in which Avanzar won) and managed to govern thanks to an uncomfortable alliance with several conservative parties, including two linked to the defunct military junta, its former enemies.

With Srettha condemned, the process proceeds his dismissal and the fall of his entire cabinetmade up of a diverse coalition of 11 parties, which could open a fierce power struggle. In this scenario, the House of Representatives will have to elect a new leader, for which there is no time limit and which could plunge the country into paralysis.