Old name, new name ... SAME royal "crap"

Funcinpec and Nationalist Party to merge in 2011 with a new name

Thursday, 2 December 2010
By Khmerization
Source: RFA

The two royalist parties, Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party, plan to hold a joint congress in the beginning of next year to formally merge the two party and take up a new name.

Funcinpec Party president Keo Put Rasmy (pictured) told RFA on Wednesday 1st December that, the newly-merged party will invite Prince Norodom Ranariddh to become its president.

In a press release on 8th November, Prince Ranaridhh said he will not return to politics and will not be a candidate for the party presidency of the newly-merged party. However, in a letter dated 29th November to Mr. Chhim Siekleng, president of the Nationalist Party, Prince Ranariddh said he agreed for the use of his name as the new party name, the Norodom Ranariddh Party, but did not indicate whether he will return to politics or will agree to become the president of the new party or not.

Decision by Ek Sam Ol of the Constituional Council on the Nationalist party merger with Funcinpec

KI-Media Note: In response to the question raised by Sao Rany, a MP from the Nationalist Party (Ranariddh Party), asking for the clarification on Article 36 of the law on political party, as to whether when two political parties are merging, MPs from one of the two parties will lose their seats or not. Here are the answers:

Case 1: If a political party A and a political party B announce their merger by adopting the name of the political party A, then in that case, the name of political party B will be erased from the register of the ministry of Interior, therefore party B will lose their seats at the National Assembly, the Senate and all councils at level lower than the national level.

Case 2: If a political party A and a political party B announce their merger by adopting the name of the political party B, then in that case, the name of political party A will be erased from the register of the ministry of Interior, therefore party A will lose their seats at the National Assembly, the Senate and all councils at level lower than the national level.

Case 3: If a political party A and a political party B announce their merger by adopting a new name as political party C, then in that case, the name of political party A and B will be erased from the register of the ministry of Interior, therefore party A and B will lose their seats at the National Assembly, the Senate and all councils at level lower than the national level.

The royalist party is dead ... Long life its skeleton!?!

Nhiek Bun Chhay greeting Hun Xen (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Royalist poll merger begins at provincial level

Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Kim Yuthana
The Phnom Penh Post

THE Kingdom’s two royalist parties have moved to integrate their sub-national organisations in Prey Veng province, the first step in a plan to merge fully prior to elections scheduled for 2012 and 2013, party officials said.

The Nationalist Party and Funcinpec, which split in acrimony in 2006, agreed last month to reunite under the banner of the Funcinpec-Nationalist Alliance in order to bolster their returns in future polls.

Nhek Bun Chhay, secretary general of the alliance, said that at a meeting in Prey Veng on Sunday, the party marked the formation of a merged provincial election working group and provincial committee, which will field a single set of candidates in the 2012 commune council elections.

“The alliance’s organisation of its basic structure also aims to re-enlist supporters and votes after being separated for a period of time,” he said yesterday.

He added that the alliance would soon merge its operations in other provinces across the country, though he did not say which province would be targeted next.

Pen Sangha, spokesman for the Nationalist Party, predicted that the move would pave the way for success at the 2012 commune council elections, which will be followed by national elections in 2013.

“From now on, the management and members of the alliance at the basic level will have enough time to get ready to work together in order to reach our common goals in the upcoming elections,” he said.

The fortunes of the royalists have declined sharply since Funcinpec won the 1993 election under the leadership of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and the party has lost seats in every election since.

In 2006, Norodom Ranariddh was expelled from the party after being convicted of embezzling party funds, and he formed his own party.

In the 2008 national elections, Funcinpec and the new Norodom Ranariddh Party – later rebranded the Nationalist Party – won just five National Assembly seats between them.

Koul Panha, executive director of local election monitor Comfrel, said the alliance would likely lead to better election results.

Royalist stillbirth?

Funcinpec leader Nhek Bun Chhay discusses his party's merger with the Norodom Ranariddh Party. (Photo by: Tracey Shelton)

Royalist parties to merge with hopes of future political gains

Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Written by Meas Sokchea and Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post

THE Kingdom's two royalist parties, Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party, are set to reunite, three years after unceremoniously parting ways following the conviction and exile of former Funcinpec president Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

Nhek Bun Chhay, secretary general of Funcinpec, said Monday that the new party, which will retain the name Funcinpec, would officially be born closer to the 2013 national elections.

But he said a de facto merger had already taken place at the grassroots level, and that local activists had worked in close cooperation for Sunday's provincial, district and municipal council elections.

He added that the impetus for the merger came from a sharp drop in support for the two parties at last year's national election.

"We hope that merging helps our votes increase. At the municipal, provincial and district elections, our votes increased, but if we didn't merge we couldn't have made such gains," he said, estimating that the two parties had won a combined 91 seats on district and province councils, and 11 seats in the capital.

"I THINK THE PEOPLE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE MISTAKES FUNCINPEC AND THE NRP HAVE MADE."

He noted that in the 2008 national election - when the royalist presence in the National Assembly dropped from 26 seats to just four - Funcinpec and the NRP received 29,000 and 21,000 votes in Siem Reap province respectively, but that the two tallies were worthless alone.

"If we put our votes together, we would have gained one seat," Nhek Bun Chhay said.

"If we are split, our votes will also be split."

Royalist rebirth?

Hang Puthea, executive director of Cambodian election monitoring group Nicfec, agreed the merger of both parties had strengthened the flagging royalist movement's showing at Sunday's election, but raised questions about the long-term future of the union.

"If the merger goes ahead and lasts forever, it could help [Funcinpec] fare better in the next mandate, but I'm worried that the parties will split again," he said.

Meanwhile, opposing politicians from other parties said they remained unfazed by the formation of what will become the country's third-largest political party.

Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said Monday that the royalists had every right to reunite, but that the ruling party was not concerned about what would result. "It will not affect the CPP. We are not scared of this merger because we know their stance and the strength of their forces," he said.

Yim Sovann, spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party, described the parties' past relationship, which hit a low point in 2006 when Prince Ranariddh was expelled from Funcinpec for embezzling funds from the sale of party property, as "a game", and said a reinvigorated royalist party would pose few problems.

"I am not concerned at all because I think the people fully understand the mistakes Funcinpec and the NRP have made so far," he said.

He added that Funcinpec and the NRP had compromised their credentials by getting close to the ruling party. "They are not familiar with the role of the opposition," he said.

"Who will trust this party now? Again and again they broke their promises and betrayed the people by allying with the ruling party."