2008-09-25
RFI
The parliament of Cambodia re-elected Hun Sen as prime minister on Thursday for five more years. The session was boycotted by political parties that dispute the results of the July election.
Of the 123 elected members in parliament, 94 showed up for Thursday's vote to approve the new government. Hun Sen, who has been in power for 23 years, was elected unanimously.
Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won 90 seats in the general election held 27 July.
The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) garnered 26 seats. The royalist parties Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party each took two seats, while the Human Rights Party (HRP) got three seats.
Members of the SRP and the HRP did not attend Thursday's session, claiming that their widespread irregularities in the election.
Hun Sen promised that his government would use its new term to accelerate the country's development and push for deep and wide reforms.
One of his first acts as prime minister was to ask, Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni to issue a pardon for Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was convicted of fraud.
Ranariddh, who is the king's half-brother, was sentenced in absentia to 18 months in jail last March over an illegal property sale.
The pardon means he can return to Cambodia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he has been living.
Of the 123 elected members in parliament, 94 showed up for Thursday's vote to approve the new government. Hun Sen, who has been in power for 23 years, was elected unanimously.
Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won 90 seats in the general election held 27 July.
The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) garnered 26 seats. The royalist parties Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party each took two seats, while the Human Rights Party (HRP) got three seats.
Members of the SRP and the HRP did not attend Thursday's session, claiming that their widespread irregularities in the election.
Hun Sen promised that his government would use its new term to accelerate the country's development and push for deep and wide reforms.
One of his first acts as prime minister was to ask, Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni to issue a pardon for Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was convicted of fraud.
Ranariddh, who is the king's half-brother, was sentenced in absentia to 18 months in jail last March over an illegal property sale.
The pardon means he can return to Cambodia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he has been living.
