22-8-2023 (PHNOM PENH) Following the recent elections, Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni congratulated the newly elected lawmakers and delivered a traditional speech to the National Assembly on its first day. The king urged the lawmakers to prioritize economic growth and equality in their legislative duties.
The Cambodian People’s Party, led by long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen, achieved a landslide victory in the elections held last month. The party secured 120 out of 125 seats in the lower house of Parliament, effectively eliminating any credible opposition.
While the ruling party maintains its dominance, a generational shift is taking place within the government. Hun Sen is passing on the premiership to his eldest son, Hun Manet, and several key Cabinet ministers are being replaced, with many being succeeded by their own children or relatives.
During Hun Sen’s nearly four-decade-long rule, Cambodia experienced significant improvements in its standard of living. However, the wealth gap between the affluent and the poor has widened.
In his address to the lawmakers, King Norodom Sihamoni, who holds a largely symbolic role, expressed his hope for continued economic growth and emphasized the need for increased social protections for the people of Cambodia. He called on the National Assembly members to strive for equality, regardless of religious beliefs or education, and to ensure employment opportunities that match individuals’ abilities and education.
Later, the king, accompanied by two Buddhist monks, will officiate the official swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected lawmakers. Hun Manet and his Cabinet are scheduled to be sworn in today.
Despite handing over the prime minister’s position to his son, 71-year-old Hun Sen is expected to retain significant control as the president of the Cambodian People’s Party and the Senate president. He has stated that stepping down as prime minister does not mark the end of his political career and that he intends to hold other positions until at least 2033, which would make his tenure in office span half a century.
In 2013, after facing a significant challenge from the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), Hun Sen targeted its leaders, leading to the eventual dissolution of the party through sympathetic courts. Prior to the July elections, the unofficial successor to the CNRP, known as the Candlelight Party, was disqualified from running on a technicality by the National Election Committee.
The European Union criticized the elections, stating that they were conducted in a restricted environment that hindered the opposition, civil society, and media. The United States also assessed the elections as “neither free nor fair.”
