Cambodia’s opposition gains ground in council elections

The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) gained ground against Prime Minister Hun Sen’s party in local elections over the weekend, initial tallies indicated Monday, in a boost the opposition party’s leader Sam Rainsy said would help strengthen democracy at the grassroots level. The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) swept the elections for the country’s provincial, municipal, and district councils, winning 2,543 seats to the CNRP’s 769, according to initial tallies released by the CPP. But the CNRP, invigorated by a strong showing in general elections last year, chalked up a solid increase in the number of seats compared to the opposition’s performance five years ago. CNRP President Sam Rainsy said that his party, formed by the merger of two main opposition parties nearly two years ago, picked up 185 more seats than the opposition’s haul in the last local elections in 2009. …

 RFA’s Khmer Service
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/elections-05192014185200.html