Cambodia ruling party set for new term

The ruling Cambodian People's Party, or CPP, is poised to lead the country for a new five-year term following a general election, though the reins are expected to be passed on to a new prime minister.

The CPP won 120 seats in the National Assembly, with the Funcinpec party of Prince Norodom Chakravuth winning five seats, according to Cambodia's Phnom Penh Post newspaper, citing preliminary results released by the country's National Election Committee, or NEC, on Sunday evening.

The CPP has ruled the Southeast Asian nation since 1979, while Hun Sen is Asia's longest-serving prime minister. In the 2018 election, the CPP won all 125 seats in the National Assembly. Eighteen political parties contested the elections this time.

Hun Manet, 45, Hun Sen's eldest son and his heir apparent, in a message and video posted on Monday, thanked those who voted for the party and said he is committed to serving the country and the people better in the future.

Nhoeun Raden, a spokesman for the Funcinpec party, said his party has achieved a "great result" in the election, but refused to give details until an official announcement is made.

Chheang Vannarith, president of Phnom Penh-based think tank the Asian Vision Institute, said he was a bit surprised by the high turnout and five seats taken by the royalist Funcinpec party.

"What I can see is this election has placed a heavy burden on the new government in terms of reforms (and) how to meet people's expectations," Chheang told China Daily, noting a power transition will be taking place in less than a month and people have high expectations of Hun Manet.

The NEC said the official results will be announced between Aug 9 and Sept 4.

High turnout

By 6:25 pm on Sunday, it confirmed that 8.2 million people, or 84.58 percent of voters in Cambodia, had cast their ballots in the country's seventh general election.

The turnout surpassed the 80.3 percent recorded at the commune council elections in 2022, and the 83.02 percent recorded in the last general election.

Nearly 600 international observers from 52 institutions, including a team from China, were invited to witness the general election this year.

Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam observed the election process at the polling station in Kandal Province, where Hun Sen and his wife cast their votes.

"I noticed that the election process did not seem to have any problems, it went off smoothly. There was no violence related to politics, it is free and fair and it went as planned," said Nabiam, as quoted by Khmer Times.

With an emphasis on reforms, Chheang said the key tasks for the new government will be providing job opportunities, fighting corruption, and building strong and efficient public institutions.

As Cambodia's economy faces downward pressure from many external factors, Chheang said more focus should be given to addressing economic challenges, such as diversifying the export market, investing more in high technology, and building a knowledge-based economy.