Elections

About 500 Cambodians have registered as observers for the June commune elections, falling well short of the more than 20,000 that civil society groups are hoping for, while not a single foreigner has signed up yet, the National Election Committee (NEC) said on Tuesday.   ...

King Norodom Sihamoni yesterday urged Cambodians to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming commune elections without fear of external pressure.​ In a royal message signed on February 20 but released yesterday, he reassured the public that they will be able to cast their ...

The National Election Committee on Saturday announced new guidelines for the June commune elections, granting all 12 registered parties equal airtime on government-run broadcaster TVK. ...

The National Election Committee (NEC) has received more than 500 applications in the first month of registration for commune election observers, according to a statement released on Wednesday. ...

The National Election Committee yesterday announced the names of the 12 political parties that will be contesting the June commune elections. The NEC also released the names of the two organizations which applied to become observers of the electoral process. ...

Interior Minister Sar Kheng yesterday, after becoming the latest ruling party official to weigh in on the CNRP’s embattled campaign slogan, went on to question the validity of the recent extraordinary congress that elevated Kem Sokha to party president.At the inauguration of a new road ...

Cambodia currently faces significant foreign policy challenges amid great power rivalry in the Asia-Pacific. Against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s uncertain and unpredictable foreign policy in the region, China’s economic, military, and strategic influence over Cambodia continues to grow. China is now Cambodia’s ...

For the ruling CPP, the promise was to appoint a woman as governor for one of the country’s 25 provinces. For the opposition CNRP, its boast was having 60 female commune chief candidates—up from fewer than 10—to run in Cambodia’s 1,646 communes for this year’s ...

More than 88,000 candidates will be vying for the 11,572 seats up for grabs in the June 4 commune elections, the National Election Committee (NEC) announced on Monday, following a three-day registration window that closed on Sunday. ...

Twelve parties had registered for the June commune elections as of Saturday evening – one day before the deadline – with a National Election Committee spokesman yesterday saying no further parties were believed added on the last day. ...

With crucial local elections around the corner and a national contest set for next year, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday returned to warning Cambodians that a vote for anyone but the long-ruling CPP was a vote for plunging the country back into the bloody ...

The National Election Committee (NEC) yesterday dismissed complaints raised by political parties about the complexity and confusion surrounding the registration process ahead of the June commune elections. The NEC also refused to delay the deadline for political parties to register to be eligible to stand for ...

As commune elections approach, civil society groups and Cambodian NGOs have announced plans for a situation room and more than 20,000 observers at polling stations across the country. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen has scorned a threat to suppress the CPP if the ruling party fails to accept the loss of power in national elections next year. Mr. Hun Sen warned anyone committing to the suppression plan before the election results are announced officially, saying ...

An Interior Ministry report said yesterday that 45 political parties had registered with the government so far, but 12 did not fulfill the requirements stipulated by the ministry – which include submitting annual activity reports as well as financial documents – and were being sued ...

National Assembly effectiveness declined last year with prosecutions of opposition lawmakers, partisan passing of laws and many assembly members visiting constituents only to shore up their vote, an election watchdog claimed yesterday. ...

The National Election Committee (NEC) yesterday reminded political parties participating in the upcoming commune elections to expedite the registration of their party to ensure they met the March deadline. NEC spokesperson Hang Puthea said there will be 221,458 polling stations nationwide across the 1,646 communes ...

A group of non-profits have banded together to push for the recruitment of thousands more election observers they say are necessary for the June 4 commune elections. ...

A European parliamentarian has submitted a “priority question” to Europe’s high representative for foreign affairs, Frederica Mogherini, urging strong action against Cambodia in response to recent threats by Prime Minister Hun Sen to dissolve opposition parties. EU Ambassador to Cambodia George Edgar yesterday agreed it’s ...

The ruling CPP on Monday pressed ahead with legal amendments that would let the government move to dissolve political parties over the crimes of their leaders or if the parties make “serious” legal mistakes, saying the changes could be passed within days. ...

Sam Rainsy, the longtime leader of Cambodia’s beleaguered democracy movement, resigned as president of the opposition CNRP on Saturday in the face of the government’s threats to dissolve the entire party over his criminal record. The brief letter said only that he was resigning for ...

Two pro-CNRP U.S. lawmakers called on newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to take a hard-line stance with the Cambodian government ahead of upcoming elections, in a letter signed on Thursday.Alan Lowenthal, a Democrat representing Long Beach, California, home to the largest Cambodian ...

Political parties are scrambling to complete their internal processes and register ahead of this year’s commune elections, which are to be held in June. The National Election Committee (NEC) will be accepting registration applications for all parties’ candidates from March 3 to 5. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered authorities to arrest any politicians pledging to clear the debts of voters with micro-finance institutions (MFIs) and banks if their party wins the elections. ...