By Lisa Murray in Phnom Penh
Financial Times
The Cambodian People’s party, buoyed by a decade of political stability and strong economic growth, claimed victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections, extending Hun Sen’s 23-year reign as prime minister.
The CPP said late on Sunday night that it had won almost two-thirds of the national assembly’s 123 seats. However, it looks set to face a stronger and more unified opposition after early reports indicated that its main rival, the Sam Rainsy party, had made significant gains.
Sunday's parliamentary elections were the fourth since the United Nations brokered a peace deal between Cambodia’s Vietnamese-backed government and the Khmer Rouge in 1991.
A constitutional change means the CPP no longer requires a two-thirds majority to form government and therefore will not have to seek the support of a coalition partner.
A spokesman for election monitoring group Comfrel said early results showed the SRP could have won as many as 40 seats, at the expense of the royalist Funcinpec party. Official results are expected this week.
A strong economy and the national sentiment stirred up by the recent border dispute with Thailand underpinned support for the CPP, in spite of anger at rampant corruption.
Many voters cited the strong economy as the chief reason behind their vote for the party. Solid tourism, garment and construction sectors have underpinned average annual economic growth of 9.5 per cent since 2000. Some 2,860 new businesses were registered in 2007, up 70 per cent from the previous year.
“People have noted a tangible improvement in their lives over the last five years,” said Douglas Clayton, managing partner of Leopard Capital, an investment group in Cambodia.
While observers said the election was generally free and fair, they expressed concern about media bias and allegations of political violence and vote buying.
Martin Callanan, a European parliament member and the European Union’s chief observer, said his team was concerned that 50,000 names were missing from voter lists.
Sam Rainsy, leader of the SRP, called for a re-count on Sunday night after he claimed 200,000 names were left off the lists in the capital city alone, accounting for a quarter of its voters. So far there is no evidence to suggest these names were scratched for political reasons.
“I want to vote but I can’t,” housewife Korng Sokong said after being turned away at a polling booth. “Perhaps my name is no longer [on the list] because I support the opposition.”
The CPP said late on Sunday night that it had won almost two-thirds of the national assembly’s 123 seats. However, it looks set to face a stronger and more unified opposition after early reports indicated that its main rival, the Sam Rainsy party, had made significant gains.
Sunday's parliamentary elections were the fourth since the United Nations brokered a peace deal between Cambodia’s Vietnamese-backed government and the Khmer Rouge in 1991.
A constitutional change means the CPP no longer requires a two-thirds majority to form government and therefore will not have to seek the support of a coalition partner.
A spokesman for election monitoring group Comfrel said early results showed the SRP could have won as many as 40 seats, at the expense of the royalist Funcinpec party. Official results are expected this week.
A strong economy and the national sentiment stirred up by the recent border dispute with Thailand underpinned support for the CPP, in spite of anger at rampant corruption.
Many voters cited the strong economy as the chief reason behind their vote for the party. Solid tourism, garment and construction sectors have underpinned average annual economic growth of 9.5 per cent since 2000. Some 2,860 new businesses were registered in 2007, up 70 per cent from the previous year.
“People have noted a tangible improvement in their lives over the last five years,” said Douglas Clayton, managing partner of Leopard Capital, an investment group in Cambodia.
While observers said the election was generally free and fair, they expressed concern about media bias and allegations of political violence and vote buying.
Martin Callanan, a European parliament member and the European Union’s chief observer, said his team was concerned that 50,000 names were missing from voter lists.
Sam Rainsy, leader of the SRP, called for a re-count on Sunday night after he claimed 200,000 names were left off the lists in the capital city alone, accounting for a quarter of its voters. So far there is no evidence to suggest these names were scratched for political reasons.
“I want to vote but I can’t,” housewife Korng Sokong said after being turned away at a polling booth. “Perhaps my name is no longer [on the list] because I support the opposition.”
3 comments:
I will call HUN SEN ASK for LOTTO NUMBER , because his prediction are so right , lol
To all the big losers,please hold your dogs, do not bark to spark to each other yet.
Wait... until Our CPP celebration for the real victory!
ce....le...bra..tion come on, We celebrate............. We all right.
celebration come on..........
The losers always smile like hungry dogs.
I was put right on the hole!
On Monday July 28th 2008,
Samdech Preah Maha Decho Hun Sen will become the nation HERO and the Prime Minister. The CPP is the principle of the Cambodia, the master in politics, the strategist of the problems solving, the role model of all parties. The wins wins with none stop ruling party.
The security in the country is safe, the economy is growing, the stability is smooth and peaceful.
The investors is high, the development growing all over the country, The people happy of living in Cambodia.
The looser may go back home to where they come from with empty seats in the Assembly of ruling.
Samdech Preah Maha Decho Hun Sen is a Cambodian HERO the Sun Of Cambodia, the great grand sun of Hun Tein the King ruling Cambodia.
Cheyo!
The New Sun rising on the old Kingdom! Samdech Preah Bat Maha Decho Hun Sen Varman.
Down SRP, HRP, Func, Norodom and many others.... Chaos.
THE CPP Recieve 98% of the total votes = 120 seats.
2 seats for SRP
1 Seat for Funcipec.
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