Elections

The National Election Committee (NEC) will spend $53 million to conduct the July 29 national polls. The figure is higher than previously allocated, after the European Union (EU) and the US suspended donations following last year’s court-mandated dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). ...

While Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed satisfaction at his Cambodian People’s Party’s (CPP) 20th spot on the list, the Grassroots Democracy Party (GDP) expressed surprise at having drawn the same number that the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) drew in the last election. ...

The National Election Committee (NEC) has reminded media outlets to abide by the Code of Conduct for Media during the coming campaign season for July’s national elections, and called on reporters to remain professional, fair and transparent. ...

Several of the 20 political parties registered to contest in the July 29 national elections denied on Thursday that they were “created” purely to add legitimacy to the polls and stave off criticisms against Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). ...

Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen denied on Tuesday that 20 small and little-known political parties registered to compete in July 29 national elections were created by his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to provide an illusion of political opposition in the coming polls. ...

In a nationally televised speech after the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen declared that “the government will commit to protecting the multiparty democracy process.” Indeed, 20 parties have submitted applications to compete in this year’s national ...

Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC) on Monday released the code of conduct for national and international observers in the forthcoming national election. “The code of conduct of electoral observers aims to set out important measures for non-governmental organizations, associations, and electoral observers to fulfill their ...

The Prime Minister Hun Sen-led Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which many consider as having already won July’s national elections with no major rival in sight, is planning to bring influential senior military officials into the Kingdom’s legislature by nominating them as candidates, an act seen ...

The National Election Committee yesterday officially recognised 16 political parties to contest the upcoming national election while extending a five-day window to review documents from four remaining parties. ...

The National Election Committee (NEC) has confirmed that 15 political parties have been registered and that the candidate list for the national elections on July 29 has been completed. A government spokesman has expressed optimism that democracy in Cambodia remains strong despite the absence of ...

The lawmakers were set to discuss the Cambodia Democracy Act and an amendment that could see Phnom Penh handed further sanctions over its crackdown on the opposition, civil society, and independent media. ...

Speaking during a meeting with stakeholders, officials from the National Election Committee (NEC) said it had requested the Ministry of Interior to take legal action against the dissolved Cambodian National Rescue Party and its former leader, Sam Rainsy, for calling on people to forgo voting ...

NGO Nicfec on Wednesday joined fellow election watchdog Comfrel in deciding not to register poll observers with the National Election Committee (NEC) for July’s national elections, citing a lack of volunteers resulting from, they say, fear of being accused of being part of a colour ...

Responding to the National Election Committee’s official announcement that 20 political parties will be on the ballot for the July 29 national elections, the CNRP and Khmer Power Party – both of which have former leaders in jail – claimed they wouldn’t recognise the poll ...

The National Election Committee (NEC) Chairman Sik Bun Hok has mocked the dissolved Cambodian National Rescue Party, saying its violation of the constitution led to its disolution. He made his comments during his speech at the National Institute of Education for a workshop on the ...

Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen and delegates held talks in Phnom Penh with Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhon on Wednesday aimed at strengthening cooperation between Cambodia and the United States. ...

After a ruling CPP official claimed that those who refuse to cast their ballot in the Kingdom’s upcoming elections “love dictatorship” and are “supporting rebel groups”, legal and election experts have said it is the individual right of citizens whether or not to vote. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen, in a speech on Monday, ordered officials to “facilitate” the campaign process for all political parties, including the opposition, a seeming about-face, as they had recently reported being hindered and harassed. ...

A senior National Election Committee official said yesterday evening that an additional eight political parties have received their application forms to field candidates to contest the upcoming national election in July. The official also said that other parties are completing their financial reports to submit ...

The Khmer Will Party (KWP), led by Kong Monkia, the son of a former Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) official, and the Motherland Party, led by Chann Bunhorn, in a statement distanced themselves from Rainsy, who has been a vocal opponent of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ...

Ever since the dissolution of the main opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, the progressive Grassroots Democracy Party has found itself between a rock and a hard place. Many have called for them to boycott an election that is no longer fully democratic. As one ...

Nhek Bun Chhay, the former president of the Khmer National United Party (KNUP) and a former senior leader in the royalist Funcinpec party, has said he will return to politics after he was released from prison. ...

Rhona Smith, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, has said that the country’s forthcoming national election will not be “genuine” without the participation of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party. ...

The National Election Committee today begins registering candidates from political parties to contest the upcoming national election while former opposition leader Sam Rainsy has reiterated his call for a boycott. NEC spokesman Hang Puthea said the committee would accept applications from parties contesting the July 29 ...