Election Tracker

Cambodia

Abstract: At stake: National Assembly

At stake: National Assembly

Background

The history of Cambodia, a French protectorate that became independent in 1954, changed forever with the emergence of the Khmer Rouge guerrilla. An estimated 1.7 million people died under the brutal hand of Pol Pot after the communist armed group took control of the country in 1975. Many Cambodians were deemed "enemies of the state" and executed, while others perished from starvation.

The Khmer Rouge regime left Cambodia as one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2003, despite boasting vast forests, illegal logging resulted in severe environmental damage. Another problem was the sex trade, as 100 new cases of HIV infection were reported every day.

Prime minister Hun Sen has held power since 1985, through a series of coalitions between his Cambodian People’s Party (CPC) and other political forces. Hun Sen has been accused repeatedly of being a top officer with the Khmer Rouge. The prime minister has claimed that he was only a soldier.

Hun Sen oversaw years of political turmoil and violence. In 1991, as a civil war was raging in the country, leaders from all factions and representatives from 17 countries gathered in France to sign a peace agreement and re-establish the liberal democratic rule. The United Nations (UN) Transitional Authority in Cambodia was established to ensure the implementation of several agreements and deployed approximately 20,000 peacekeepers costing$1.6 billion US to keep the peace and organize a national election.

Hun Sen overthrew Prince Norodom Ranariddh, leader of the royalist United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) party, in a bloody coup in 1997.

Pol Pot died in 1998. The CPP won a legislative election that year. Efforts to prosecute members of the Khmer Rouge continue to this day. An agreement between the government of Cambodia and the UN was reached in June 2003. Among those who were expected to stand trial were Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, who ran the notorious Tuol Sleng prison, and Ta Mok, alias The Butcher, who died in 2006 before his trial took place.

In the 2003 legislative election—which was marred by violence—the CPC garnered 2.45 million votes. The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (PSR) was second, slightly ahead of FUNCINPEC.

The CPC secured 69 seats, short of the two-thirds majority required to form a government under Cambodian law. After weeks of uncertainty, the three major political organizations agreed to participate in the new administration on Nov. 5. The actual formation of the new government was delayed several times.

Click Here for Cambodia’s 2003 Legislative Election Tracker

Life expectancy in Cambodia is 69.7 years, and literacy is calculated at 73.6 per cent. Tourism is now a major source of income for the country. For the first 10 months of 2007, Cambodia recorded 1.6 million foreign visitors.

In October 2004, King Norodom Sihanouk announced his abdication to the throne and selected his son, Prince Norodom Sihamoni, to succeed him. Prince Sihamoni, a ballet dancer and choreographer, lived in France and was practically inactive in Cambodian politics.

In February 2005, opposition leader Sam Rainsy was stripped of parliamentary immunity, and fled to France. In December, Rainsy was convicted in absentia of defaming prime minister Hun Sen, but he later received a royal pardon.

Prosecutors with the special Khmer Rouge tribunal made their first indictment in July 2007, charging Kaing Guek Eav with crimes against humanity. In September 2007, Nuon Chea, formerly second-in-command to Pol Pot, was arrested and charged with war crimes.

2008 National Assembly Election

The royalist United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) has appointed Princess Norodom Arunrasmy as its candidate for prime minister in the upcoming election. Hun Sen of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPC) will seek a new term in office. Other parties include the Prince Norodom Ranariddh party (NRP), the Human Right Party, and the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front, self-described as a "liberal, democratic and nationalist" party.

On Nov. 21, 2007, Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, appeared in court in Cambodia in the first public session of the UN.-backed tribunal probing the Khmer Rouge.

On Nov. 27, Hun Sen said prime ministerial candidates to should hold Khmer nationality only, and called for candidates with double nationality to abstain from participating in the ballot. Ministers, he said, could hold double nationalities.

Khem Sokha, president of the Human Right Party, said candidates to become prime minister could have one or two nationalities, but his or her parents should have Khmer nationality, saying, "I agreed with Hun Sen’s remark but Cambodia had civil war in the 1970s and people ran away from here. They had two nationalities when they came back. So the important thing for the PM candidate is the determination in ruling with safety and economic development."

Muth Chantha, spokesman for Prince Norodom Ranariddh party (NRP), said Hun Sen’s proposal is a political issue and not a principle enshrined in the Cambodian Constitution. Rainsy and Prince Norodom both hold French and Cambodian nationalities.

On Dec. 12, Cambodia’s royal family urged Prince Norodom—now leader of the Norodom NRP—to quit politics, arguing that his new party is not worthy of his qualifications because it is not popular enough.

In April, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister Hor Namhong filed a defamation lawsuit against Rainsy in a municipal court. Namhong claims Rainsy accused him of being a former member of the Democratic Kampuchea (DK) regime, which is held responsible for the death of 1.7 million people in the 1970s.

On May 12, 2008, the final list of contending parties was defined. In all, 12 political organizations registered to take part in the ballot, down from 23 in 2003 and 39 in 1998. The European Union (EU) has confirmed it is sending 130 observers to monitor the election.

On Jun. 24, Hun Sen said that the Cambodian people “must have self-confidence in deciding to choose the political party of their liking without any coercion, pressure and intimidation.”

On Jun. 26, the political campaign officially started. The ruling CPC and the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (PSR) are seen as the main contenders. CPC president Chea Sim rallied supporters against the PSR, saying, “Those ill-willed people always pump themselves up by telling lies, deceiving, insulting and agitating conflict in society.”

For his part, Rainsy started his party’s campaign by promising a greater investment in health, education and rural development, and accusing the current government—in office for more than two decades—of incompetence, saying, “The current high levels of inflation, corruption and land grabbing are the major issues that need to be resolved.”

On Jul. 7, two small political parties—the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party (KAP) and the Justice Society Party (JSP)—announced that they would form an alliance before the general election. KAP president Krovagn Darorn declared: “We will both get benefit from this alliance because we could get more votes and have more seats in the parliamentary election. We will help each other in this election campaign.”

On Jul. 9, Rainsy went voluntarily to the court in Phnom Penh to submit documents related to the Namhong defamation lawsuit but there were no prosecutors to receive them. The opposition leader assured that the prosecutors “all fled”, adding, “They are scared by Sam Rainsy.”

On Jul. 11, Khem Sambo, a journalist collaborating with the Khmer Conscience News—a newspaper with ties to the opposition PSR party—was killed along with his son in Cambodia’s capital. Sambo was reporting on corruption and illegal activities by high-ranking government figures. The SRP released a statement about the murders, which read: “When one who dares to write or argue against those with absolute power is assassinated, the perpetrators behind the killing are never found or tried according to the law.”

On Jul. 13, Ngor Srun, secretary of state at the Cambodian Council of Ministers and top aid for deputy prime minister Sok An, was reportedly attacked with acid in downtown Phnom Penh and flown to Thailand to receive medical care. The victim is a member of the ruling CPC.

On Jul. 14, PSR secretary-general Eng Chhay Eang assured that his party will garner a majority of the popular vote in the upcoming ballot, saying, “[The goal] is to win 62 seats in the Assembly. (...) People can see the government’s powerlessness to prevent corruption and inflation.”

On Jul. 17, the National Election Committee accused 13 individual media broadcasters of bias—including the television station owned by the prime minister’s daughter. CPP’s Apsara TV, along with pro-opposition U.S.-funded stations, was included in the accusation statement.

While in previous elections a new government needed two-thirds of parliamentarians to take power, a 2006 Constitutional amendment changed the guidelines. A simple majority of 50 per cent plus one is enough to achieve legislative authority.

The election—the fourth general process since democracy was reintroduced by a United Nations (UN) mandate in 1991—took place on Jul. 27. Few irregularities and no violent incidents were reported by the 10,000 international observers. About 75 per cent of eligible Cambodians turned out to vote—a smaller proportion than the 83 per cent who participated in the 2004 election.

Upon arriving to vote, tens of thousands of people found they could not exercise their right, because their names had been left of the voting lists. Thun Saray, official for the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia, declared: “It is too early to say this was a free and fair election. We need to have more information, especially on the voter’s lists, which is a very big problem.”

On Jul. 28, preliminary results showed that the ruling Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) secured 73 per cent of all votes. The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) is expected to have taken 40 seats, increasing its representation in the National Assembly.

Opposition leaders voiced dissatisfaction with the results, and accused the current government of manipulating the votes and using intimidation. Human Rights Party and longtime government critic Kem Sokha said: “We call on the international community not to recognize the results because there were a lot of irregularities.” Raimsy declared: “We have decided to join forces to struggle with the Cambodian people to demand a re-run of the election in Cambodia.”

The royalist Funcinpec and Norodom Ranariddh Party also signed a statement accusing Sen’s government of “rigging the election.” In addition to other claims, the statement charges that “the main illegal and fraudulent practices are related to the deletion of countless voters’ names and an artificial increase in the CPP votes.”

Sen has gained a great deal of popularity over the past few weeks, due to Cambodia’s recent booming economy and his tough stance against neighbouring Thailand over the Preah Vihear temple, which is located in an area that Thailand claims as its own.

On Sept. 2, the Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) was officially declared the winner of the election, with 90 of the 123 seats at stake. The Sam Rainsy Party (PSR) finished second, with 26 mandates.

Political Players

King: Norodom Siihamoni
Prime minister: Hun Sen - KPK

Legislative Branch: The Radhsphea ney Preah Recheanachakr Kampuchea (National Assembly of Cambodia) has 123 members, elected to five-year terms by proportional representation. The Senat (Senate) has 61 members, appointed by the King on recommendation of the parties in the National Assembly.

Results of Last Election:

National Assembly - Jul. 27, 2008

	Seats
Cambodian People’s Party (CPP)	90
Sam Rainsy Party (SRP)	26
Human Rights Party (HRP)	2
United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC)	2
Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP)	2