Cambodia Holds Election Amid Lack of Serious Challengers
23 July 2023
Voting is currently underway in Cambodia’s general election, with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) widely expected to maintain its grip on power. The lack of serious challengers has raised concerns about the fairness and legitimacy of the election.
Hun Sen, who has been in power for 38 years, faces no real opposition after the only credible opposition party, the Candlelight Party, was disqualified in May. Critics have called the election a sham, with one voter in Phnom Penh telling the BBC, “The election this year is not free nor fair, because the choice of two million people was taken away.”
Western nations, including the United States, have also raised concerns about the integrity of the vote. To ensure a high turnout despite the lack of meaningful competition, the government has made it a criminal offense to boycott the election or spoil the ballot papers.
In the lead-up to the poll, opposition lawmakers have reported violent attacks, and Human Rights Watch has accused the government of intimidation and arbitrary arrests of political opponents. In May, the Candlelight Party was barred from participating on a technicality, despite winning 22% of the vote in local elections last year. Analysts believe Hun Sen saw them as a potential threat to his rule.
Despite the controversy surrounding the election, Hun Sen has shown signs that he plans to hand power to his eldest son, Hun Manet, in the near future. The military chief has led the CPP’s campaign alongside his father and is expected to take over as the country’s leader.
Hun Sen’s rule has become increasingly authoritarian, according to political analysts. This is the second consecutive election in which he has targeted democratic institutions and marginalized the opposition before voting day.
While the CPP faces 17 other parties in this year’s election, most are too small or aligned with the ruling party to pose a credible challenge. The vote takes place against the backdrop of an uncertain economy, with reports of struggling locals facing rising fuel prices, stagnant wages, and growing debts.
Hun Sen has won all six national elections held every five years since the 1990s. Throughout his four-decade-long rule, he has consolidated power by controlling the military, police, and financial interests, effectively neutralizing opposition.
However, some voters, particularly the younger generation, believe that Hun Sen’s message of maintaining peace and stability resonates less with them. One voter explained, “The previous generation has been through the Khmer Rouge, which was very traumatizing to them… But look at the next generation, every time the ruling party brought this up, the young generation mock them because it has been repeated for 30 years.”
As the election progresses, the international community will closely monitor the outcome and assess its implications for Cambodia’s political landscape.