In Preliminary Results, Ruling Party Seats Diminished in Election Win
Cambodia’s ruling party has reportedly won in national elections Sunday, but it appears to have lost a significant number of seats in parliament.
According to preliminary election figures released by Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, the Cambodian People’s Party won 68 of 123 National Assembly seats.
That’s a loss of 22 seats from its sweeping victory in 2008, but it is still a majority, giving the CPP a continued hold on power. The CPP lost ground to an energized opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which won 55 seats, according to the early figures. …The result seemed a surprise to some CPP officials, who had appeared very confident during Election Day they would maintain something close to their 2008 seats.
In Kampong Cham province, for example, where 18 seats were up for grabs, National Assembly President Heng Samrin, a top member of the CPP, said that his party would likely hold onto 11 seats. Opposition estimates at the end of the day, however, showed the CPP had likely won just six or seven seats there. …Though eight parties competed, the election gave Cambodians a clear choice between the two leading parties, with the CPP touting economic development, infrastructure improvement and national security, and the Rescue Party focusing on strict immigration policies, better wages and reduced corruption. …
No matter the official figure, this year’s election saw a major upswing in participation, with a large number of younger voters engaged both in political rallies on the ground and on increasingly popular social media sites.
That participation proved a boon to parties looking to engage with younger voters. “When they have Facebook, their relationship with their supporters becomes interactive,” Keo Kounila, a media consultant and blogger told VOA Khmer ahead of the election. “Party supporters have the opportunity to give feedback on party policies. And I think any party benefits from such feedback.” …
