CPP Rallies to Hun Sen; NEC Says Early Poll Not Possible
CPP lawmakers have lined up behind their prime minister, Hun Sen, insisting in recent statements that a new election the opposition is demanding will never happen, and would not even be legally possible. Experts familiar with the law, however, said legislation does allow for fresh elections, and the only thing the government needs is the political will to see it happen. At an opposition rally in Siem Reap City two weeks ago, CNRP President Sam Rainsy invoked the example of Thailand, where the government has called snap elections for February to quell growing opposition and street protests there. In the past week, thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the streets of Phnom Penh on a daily basis calling for Mr. Hun Sen to resign. Facing mounting protests, Mr. Hun Sen on Friday responded directly to the calls for his resignation, saying that an early election would never happen and that it was not legal under the Constitution. … “We, the parliamentarians of the Cambodian People’s Party, completely support the comments Mr. Hun Sen made on Friday, quoted as saying no re-election and no to stepping down,” 54 of the CPP’s 68 National Assembly members said in a statement released Monday. Cheam Yeap, a CPP Assembly member and spokesman for the party, said the other 14 CPP lawmakers had not signed the petition only because they were in the provinces or abroad. … On Friday, Mr. Hun Sen invoked the Constitution’s Article 78 in defense of his inability to call an early election. Article 78 states the National Assembly cannot be dissolved before the end of its five-year mandate—unless the government loses two votes of confidence in the space of 12 months. At that point the King, with a proposal from the prime minister and approval from the Assembly president, “shall” dissolve the Assembly, with new elections to take place within 60 days. …
Kuch Naren and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-rallies-to-hun-sen-nec-says-early-poll-not-possible-49602/
