Cambodia recently concluded its election, and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, declared a landslide victory. However, the election has been widely criticized as a sham because it was essentially a one-horse race, with no viable opponents to challenge the ruling party. In response to the lack of opposition and as a form of protest, some voters destroyed their ballots, even though an election boycott is a criminal offense in the country.
Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a warning to such voters, urging them to surrender or face legal consequences. He proudly announced that his party won 120 out of the 125 seats in the parliament, with a royalist party securing the remaining five seats. He claimed that the high voter turnout, the second highest in three decades, proved that attempts by overseas-based rivals to undermine the election with protest ballots had failed.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party has been described as a political behemoth with significant financial resources. His uncontested victory in the election came after a ruthless crackdown on rivals and the banning of the only major opposition party in May.
With 38 years in power, Hun Sen has effectively eliminated any political competition and is grooming his eldest son, Hun Manet, as his successor. He has hinted that his son, who currently leads the Royal Cambodian Army, could become the prime minister next month.
Since the 1990s, Cambodia has transitioned into a functioning democracy with the help of the United Nations, but Hun Sen’s party has consistently won all six national elections held every five years. This latest election marks his seventh consecutive win, solidifying his authoritarian leadership through control of the military, police, and influential interests, while neutralizing opponents through various means such as co-opting, imprisoning, or exiling them.
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