Political situation in Cambodia

Prime Minister Hun Sen. Heng Sinith / AP 

The gloomy decision was expected - still "a disappointment"  

The opposition party CP will appeal the decision that they are not allowed to stand in the elections in Cambodia in July. The electoral authority claims the party submitted its registration application too late and representatives are not surprised to encounter patrols.  

But it is still disappointing, says party secretary Kong Monika. 

Prime Minister Hun Sen has ruled the country for 38 years and his CPP party holds all the seats after the 2018 election, when the then opposition party CNRP was dissolved. 

 

Image from local elections 2022. Heng Sinith / AP 

The opposition in Cambodia is stopped from participating in elections  

The Cambodian opposition party CP is not allowed to stand in the elections this summer. This when the country's electoral authority claims that it registered its participation too late, several media write.  

The Liberal Party is described as the only real challenger to the ruling CPP, which is led by authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. In the 2018 election, the CPP won all 125 seats because the opposition party CNRP, from which the CP sprang, was dissolved following a court order.  

Even if other parties are registered, everything points to the CPP going into the election unthreatened, among other things because Hun Sen has great influence over the judiciary and the media.