Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Pic: AP.
BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down after finding her guilty in an abuse of power case, pushing the country deeper into political turmoil.
Yingluck was charged with abusing her authority by transferring a senior civil servant in 2011 to another position.
The court ruled Wednesday that the transfer was carried out with a “hidden agenda” that violated the constitution.
Her supporters accuse the courts of toppling Yingluck through unfair use of the legal system after six months of anti-government protests failed to unseat her.
The ruling marks the latest twist in Thailand’s long-running political crisis. Yingluck supporters have vowed to hold a major rally Saturday, which many fear could spark violence.