Cambodia's political parties launch campaigns for Senate election

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's political parties on Saturday have begun electoral campaigns for the third legislature of the Senate to be held on Jan. 29.

The campaign will be lasted until Jan. 27.

There are only two main political parties participated in the election. They are the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and Sam Rainsy Party, a main opposition party in the country.

According to the National Election Committee (NEC), the Senate has 61 seats, but the election is held for only 57 seats as 2 senators will be appointed by the King and the other 2 by the National Assembly.

Each of the two parties has named 57 full candidates and 57 reserve ones to the NEC to compete in the election.

The Senate election will be voted by the 123 Members of Parliament and 11,353 commune councilors nationwide.

Chea Sim, the CPP's President, said on Saturday that the party would strictly respect concerned electoral law, order and procedures.

"I have a strong belief that incumbent members of the National Assembly and commune councilors will vote for the CPP as they have seen clear positions, actions, achievements and policies of the party," he said in speech in commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of Jan. 7 victory day.

The Senate election is held every six years. The last one was in Jan. 2006, at that time, there parties, Cambodian People's Party, Funcinpec and Sam Rainsy Part, joined the contest. As a result, the CPP won 45 seats, the Funcinpec 10 seats and the Sam Rainsy party two seats.