Royal party seeks to oust leader

Prince Norodom Ranariddh (left) attends a meeting with other members of his political party in April. Photograph: Hong Menea/Phnom Penh Post

Friday, 20 July 2012
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

The upper echelon of Norodom Ranariddh’s own party is publicly urging the leader to step down so officials can revive a moribund merger with Funcinpec.

The move, officials from both sides say, would free up the parties to negotiate without the clashes between Ranariddh and Funcinpec head Nhek Bun Chhay that have upended previous mergers.

Sao Rany, an NRP lawmaker and secretary-general of the party, told the Post that the act was a negotiation strategy to build up power before next year’s national election.

“I see that if we do not merge, we will die in 2013,” Rany said. In June’s commune elections, Funcinpec and NRP had an abysmal showing.

Cambodia: Royalist parties merge for 2013 polls

ZEENEWS.COM, May 24, 2012

Supporters royalist party Funcinpec hold their party flags and national flags during the last day of national election campaign in Phnom Penh, file photo. AP photo

Phnom Penh: The royalist Funcinpec party and the Norodom Ranariddh party on Thursday signed an agreement to merge as a Funcinpec party to re-unite royalists for the Parliamentary Elections in July next year.

The agreement was signed between Nhik Bun Chhay, executive president of the Funcinpec party and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, president of Norodom Ranariddh party.

Under the agreement, Prince Norodom Ranariddh will be the president of the merged party and Nhik Bun Chhay will be the vice-president.

The two parties won two seats each of the 123 seats in the Parliamentary Elections in July 2008.

"The merger is to mobilise royalists, Sihanoukists to be a real national force to work with the national force of the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen in order to serve the nation," Prince Norodom Ranariddh told reporters after the signing ceremony.

The Funcinpec party was founded in 1981 by the retired King Norodom Sihanouk. Currently, it is the only coalition party of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Bone

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

The royalist parties are dead, long life the royalist party?!?!

Nhiek Bun Chhay (L) from Funcinpec and You Hockry (R) from the Nationalist Party (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)

Royalist parties have a hard time getting out of destruction

03 April 2010
By Pen Bona Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Following a destroying disunity that almost wiped out the royalist party from the Cambodian political scene, the Funcinpec and the Nationalist parties, the remainders of the royalist disunity, are trying to reach out to one another to try to save the royalists’ popularity. Like the SRP and the HRP, experience from disunity shows that the result is defeat. However, trying to unite with each other is not an easy task.

As water is entering their noses, the bitterly fighting former brothers, the Funcinpec and the Nationalist parties, are reaching out to one another in order to try to save the situation.

The two parties, whose leaders came from the same womb, did learn their lessons from this disunity. This disunity led the royalist party to be kicked out from leadership and turned it into a minor party that tries to hang tight to the tail of the ruling CPP party. This bitter lesson awoke the two parties and they now shout out that only unity could save their dire situation.

In reality, the “unity” rally cry among the smaller political parties which hold insignificant number of seats in the National Assembly is not something new. This word was repeated over and over again in the past two decades and people are now used to it. In particular, after each election, the results show that disunity simply means loss. In the case of Funcinpec, it used to be a leading party (with 58 seats at the National Assembly in 1993), but now it only holds 2 seats. This case should serve as political lesson for Cambodia.

This situation led the Funcinpec and the Nationalist party leaders – both of whom came from the same womb – to awake from their dream, and they now see that unity is their only last chance to try to revive their popularity once again. However, the word “unity” – a very important concept – is easy to claim but not easy to put to work.

It is not just the royalist parties that are facing difficulties, the opposition parties at the National Assembly – the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party – also face similar situation. Who should unite with whom? Who should accommodate the other, when each party claims that it is the strongest? This problem arises because of the unlimited boasting by Cambodian politicians.

Case in point: the two royalist parties, even though each one of them hold only 2 seats at the National Assembly, each party still claims that it is the strongest one and wants the other party to submit to it. The same situation can also be seen in the SRP and HRP attempt to unite, but it always met with defeat up until now.

In conclusion, the unity among non ruling minor parties (in general), and the unity of the Nationalist Party and the Funcinpec party (in particular) still is valuable for the political balance of Cambodia, i.e. unity is not over yet, albeit late. Even though it is hard to believe that the royalist parties will ever regain their 1993-level popularity, at least the unity among the two parties could be a positive rather than a negative issue.

Furthermore, leaders from both parties should understand that Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, therefore, the dropping to the bottom of the “royalist” parties’ popularity is not something to be considered normal. Therefore, the awakening and the attempt to get out of destruction through unity is the only choice left for the “royalists,” otherwise, history would blame them as the killers of the royalist parties.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Beloved Brothers

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Royalists: United till corruption, ineptitude and plain stupidity do us part?

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 2/02/2009: Lu Laysreng, former Minister of Rural Development and current First Deputy President at FUNCINPEC, with NRP president Chhim Siek Leng, toasting after the NRP (Norodom Ranariddh Party) and FUNCINPEC MoU ceremony at the FUNCINPEC headquarters. (Photo: John Vink/ Magnum)

Royalist Parties Look To Unite for 2013

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
16 March 2010

The royalist Funcinpec party is hoping to merge with its rival, the former eponymous party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, to contest national elections in 2013, an official said Tuesday.

The two parties each won two seats in the National Assembly after an internal dispute that ended in division.

“We have seen that the division made us lose voices, forces and lose time,” said Keo Put Reaksmey, president of Funcinpec. “Mathematically, if we were in unity [during the last general election] we would have won more seats.”

The Norodom Ranarridh Party is now called the Nationalist Party, and is currently only in discussion with Funcinpec over merging, he said.

Led by Norodom Ranarridh, Funcinpec was a major victor in the 1993 national elections, with 58 of 120 National Assembly seats, following by the Cambodian People’s Party, which won 51. In 2008, by contrast, the CPP won 90 of 123 seats, followed by the Sam Rainsy Party’s 26.

By 2006, Funcinpec was deeply fragmented. It then split, with Norodom Ranariddh forming his own party from exile, having been found guilty for corruption.

A merging of the two rivals seems a long way off, but Keo Put Reaksmey said the two were “lobbying each other” for a compromise.

And before they are able to join in national elections, they will have to cooperate for commune elections in 2012.

Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said he appreciated the intent to merger, but said the process has been “too slow.”

Two royalist parties to remain independent, for the time being

Tuesday, 09 June 2009
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

NRP spokesman says upcoming congress will approve a new name for the party, but claims reunification with Funcinpec is still some time away

AHEAD of their upcoming congress, Norodom Ranariddh Party officials say the party plans to retain a separate identity, despite suggestions it could reunite with Funcinpec, from which it split in 2007.

Party spokesman Pen Sangha said Monday that the upcoming party meeting is likely to formalise the presidency of Chhim Siekleng, currently acting president of the party.

He added that, at the congress, the party would change its name and logo - which both feature retired Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the former president of the party - but said the NRP has not yet merged with Funcinpec.

"Although some recent comments have caused confusion, we would like to confirm that at the NRP's upcoming congress we will not change our name to Funcinpec," Pen Sangha said.

"We have not merged with Funcinpec into a single party yet. We are just cooperating together."

However, he did not say what new name the party would adopt, adding that the NRP's Central Committee had yet to specify a time and place for the congress, although he said it was expected to be held towards the end of June.

The NRP was created in November 2007, when the Khmer National Front Party voted to change its name and elected Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its president. Ranariddh was previously the head of the royalist Funcinpec party until his sacking in October 2006 after he was convicted of embezzling funds from the sale of the party's former headquarters in Phnom Penh.

Funcinpec Secretary General Nhek Bun Chhay could not be reached for comment Monday, but in an interview last month, he told the Post that the NRP and Funcinpec would merge into a single party ahead of the 2013 national election, a unification that was proceeding at the grassroots level.

CPP: The political party of choice for disappointed royalist comedian?

Comedian Lor Si joined the CPP

Friday, May 22, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Koh Santepheap newspaper reported that Pok Tharet also known as Neay Lor Si, a rather well known comedian in Cambodia, has recently asked to join the CPP. In 2003, Lor Si was also involved in politics when he helped lead the election campaign for the Funcinpec party. After Funcinpec’s division and demise, Lor Si became aimless and he decided to follow Prince Ranariddh to the NRP. However, none of his political activities were successful and Lor Si disappeared from the scene. Recently, Lor Si was authorized to join the CPP with this party leaders’ consent. Lor Si said that he sent in his application to the CPP on 23 April 2009, and Hun Xen agreed to his application of 25 April.

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."

Funcinpec is not kidding when it comes down to the monarchy

Soy Sopheap

16 March 2009
By Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French

A TV anchor attracted the ire of the royalist party after he criticized the latter for the upcoming election.

Keo Puth Rasmey, Funcinpec president, informed the press about his intention to sue and to organize a demonstration against Soy Sopheap, the star-anchor of the pro-government TV channel CTN. Funcinpec leaders did not appreciate some of the comments made by the anchorman regarding the monarchy and the royalist party.

“Soy Sopheap had seriously criticized my party on TV, and this is not the first time,” Keo Puth Rasmey said over the phone after he was alerted on the issue by Nhiek Bun Chhay, the party secretary-general.

On his end, Soy Sopheap tried to cool down the situation. “They should not link the two issues. I respect the monarchy, but I criticize Funcinpec,” he justified. Soy Sopheap explained that he ridiculed Funcinpec and NRP leaders for holding vote swearing ceremonies [party members are forced to swear that they will only vote for the party candidates] for their parties for the upcoming district and provincial councils. He added that, in the past, the two royalist parties have accused the CPP for the same practice, but that now, they are doing the same thing as the CPP.

F'pec-NRP: The brother-ennemy parties?

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 2/02/2009: Lu Laysreng, former Minister of Rural Development and current First Deputy President at FUNCINPEC, with NRP president Chhim Siek Leng, toasting after the NRP (Norodom Ranariddh Party) and FUNCINPEC MoU ceremony at the FUNCINPEC headquarters. (Photo: John Vink/ Magnum)

Royalist parties of Cambodia want to approach May elections hand in hand

02-02-2009
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set in English

After the creation on January 15th of the Democratic Movement for Change by the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party, it is now the turn of the FUNCINPEC and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) to come together, with, in perspective, the next Cambodian local elections in May. The leaders of both parties met on Monday February 2nd at the FUNCINPEC headquarters in Phnom Penh and signed a royalist Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between their political formations, after which the parties' respective leaders, Keo Puth Rasmey (FUNCINPEC) and Chhim Siek Leng (NRP), duly celebrated with a toast.

“Brotherly” parties

After signing the MoU, FUNCINPEC president Keo Puth Rasmey, caught by journalists, explained that the parties had been like two “brothers” ever since the creation of the NRP, the most recent formation out of the two. He presented this unity of strength as a strategy to better establish their position in the May elections for new councils in the capital, municipalities, provinces and districts of Cambodia, which will be conducted on the basis of indirect suffrage. “This is a cooperation, not an alliance”, he insisted, putting forward the fact that their formations were realistic and did not aim, by uniting, “to compete with other political parties”.

Expecting better results in the elections

FUNCINPEC secretary-general Nhek Bun Chhay called for his part to learn a lesson from the past. “We have in the past been divided: it is an experience that we must think through. If our two parties had got together in the last legislative elections, we would not have got two seats each but 17 altogether! Having said that, this new cooperation does not affect in any way relations between FUNCINPEC and the CPP...” And to him, there is no doubt that this cooperation will pay off. According to his projections, FUNCINPEC and NRP together could score three times better in May than if the FUNCINPEC presented an election list under a single name.

Not a reaction to the opposition Movement

NRP secretary-general You Hockry emphasised the same line of argument and offered his own projections for the elections, explaining that each party had something to gain from this MoU. Each party had as a matter of fact set up a technical group to discuss the terms of the cooperation, he detailed. “I do not want to see that cooperation die before the elections!”, he stressed, claiming that the new bonds tied by the two parties claiming to be royalist were in no way a “response” to the recent creation of the Democratic Movement for Change (DMC).

Royalist alliance splits over candidate lists, party platform

Nhek Bun Chhay’s Funcinpec will not be joining the NRP to contest May elections. (Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON)

Monday, 26 January 2009
Written by Brett Worthington and Neth Pheaktra
The Phnom Penh Post

Funcinpec and NRP to contest May council elections separately after meetings on royalist collaboration fall apart over points of principle

FUNCINPEC and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) will not sign a memorandum of understanding to create a Nationalist Alliance ahead of May's district and provincial council elections, Funcinpec Second Deputy President Prince Sisowath Sirirath said Sunday.

Despite a promising first meeting, negotiations between the parties deteriorated last week when they failed to agree on a common platform.

"Everything is finished now," Prince Sirirath said. "The discussion between Funcinpec and the NRP has been stopped because of disagreement on the words used, and some of our principles."

But NRP spokesman Suth Dina said that while it was unlikely the parties would contest the elections together, talks were only being put on hold.

"The MoU agreement between the NRP and Funcinpec is postponed because in our two discussions we couldn't find a common principle that both parties could accept," he said.

"But in principle, the NRP intends to cooperate [with Funcinpec] in the local elections in May."

Stumbling blocks

Suth Dina said two obstacles now stood in the way of the parties teaming up, the first of which stemmed from a new subdecree changing the number of district, provincial and municipal council members.

He said the other problem the parties faced was their inability to agree on a list of candidates.

"Funcinpec wants to put a candidate on all candidate lists, but the NRP wants to alternate the name of the candidates on the list and share the votes for all candidates," Suth Dina said.

"In a province where Funcinpec has many members in the commune council, a candidate from Funcinpec would be at the head of the list, [but] the principle is still in discussion."

The NRP spokesman said that, combined, the parties could win seats on new councils in 12 provinces but separately they could only win in six or seven.

Koul Panha, executive director of election monitor Comfrel, agreed, saying that alone both parties would struggle.

"By themselves they cannot gain more seats. If they negotiate, then together they could potentially gain seats," he said.

But, he said, in reality the two parties were bad at working together and have a difficult future. "They cannot come together," he said.

"They join and split and each time they do the voters lose confidence in them."

Negotiations first began almost two weeks ago as both parties attempted to rebuild following major losses in July's national election.

Cambodia's Funcinpec, NRP agree to alliance for may election [A case of "1+1=0"?]

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's two main royalist political parties, the Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), have decided to combine forces for May's district and provincial council elections, national media reported Monday.

Officials from the two parties met on Thursday to hold talks and agreed to assist each other in the upcoming election, in which commune councilors will vote to choose the first-ever district, provincial and municipal councils, Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay was quoted by the Cambodia Daily newspaper as saying.

"We have agreed to unite with each other during the council election on May 17," he told the newspaper.

He added that the two parties uniting to form a single party would make sense because the NRP was originally born out of Funcinpec.

NRP spokesman Suth Dina confirmed that the discussions between the two parties were held and the two parties would cooperate for the May election.

In late 2006, Prince Norodom Ranariddh formed the NRP shortly after being ousted from the presidency of Funcinpec, effectively splitting the royalist vote.

When 1+1=0

The departure from politics of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, pictured in a file photo, has paved the way for royalist alliance, officials say. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

NRP, F'pec to align for local vote

Monday, 29 December 2008
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

But officials of both parties are quick to deny any plans for a more formal political partnership

OFFICIALS from the royalist Norodom Ranariddh Party and Funcinpec say they have reached an agreement to cooperate in district and provincial elections scheduled for May next year.

NRP spokesman Suth Dina said Sunday leaders of both parties agreed to help each other in districts where collaboration could win a mandate, but was quick to dismiss any rumour that the parties would formally unite.

"I would like to say clearly that this is not a merging of the two parties. It is simply a strategy to help each party increase votes for the upcoming election," he said.

Cooperation will consist largely of each party voting for the other in areas where a few extra ballots could mean a win for either party, Suth Dina said.

But he added that there are no plans for such cooperation in the next national polls in 2013.

"If both parties do not work together in the district and provincial elections, they would lose votes," said Lu Laysreng, first deputy president of Funcinpec, who added that if the partnership showed good results, the two parties might work together in the future.

He suggested that a future merger could heal the rift that has seen both parties fall into greater obscurity in recent national polls.

"The separation has made both parties weak. Now that [Prince] Norodom Ranariddh has joined the Royal Palace, all NRP members should come back and make Funcinpec stronger," Lu Laysreng said.

He added that the recent announcement of defections to the ruling Cambodian People's Party is not a concern for the parties.

"I don't believe they have abandoned Funcinpec," he said.

Royals of Cambodia: slowly exiting the country's political stage?

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 16/11/1991: Prince Ranariddh, attending his father's first press conference at the Royal Palace upon his return from exile. (Photo: John Vink / Magnum)

25-12-2008
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set in English
Click here to read the article in French
Click here to read the article in Khmer

The political part played by princes and princesses of Cambodia has but sank over the past two years in the country. The crushing defeat of the royalist FUNCINPEC party, the withdrawal of its influential members, thus benefiting the ruling Cambodians People's Party (CPP) and the anaemic results of members of the Cambodian Royal family in the July 27th 2008 legislative elections added up to their weakening and slowly pushed them further away from power, wholly held by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his political group. Several important figures of the Royal family, among whom former “first Prime Minister” and Chairman of the National Assembly Norodom Ranariddh have made their exit from the political stage, and gladly accepted honorary positions within the Royal Palace, where they are now invited to “serve the nation and the people”... and in the meantime restore their image.

Disagreements among royalists
Several factors reduced the political influence of princes and princesses and led to their retirement from political life, starting with the emergence in 1995 of divisions within the FUNCINPEC and particularly the clash which eventually led to the creation of the Norodom Ranariddh party (NRP) in 2006. The dispute was followed by poor results for both parties in the 2008 legislative poll: today, not a single royal appears on the list of MPs and government members in the fourth mandate (2008-2013) led by prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP). With four seats only – two each – the two half-brothers respectively in charge of the FUNCINPEC and NRP are not any more in a position to claim anything in front of the CPP, and the latter intends to take advantage of its former FUNCINPEC governmental partner's weaknesses to extend the powers conferred to both the executive and legislative branches.

The Royal family's role on the political stage seems to be inexorably sliding into oblivion. This diminution was marked by the recent resignation of Prince Norodom Ranariddh from the position of president of the party he founded and named after himself , the NRP , and his following retirement from politics at the beginning of October after 25 years spent at the heart of power struggles. He justified his decision in public, saying he was “tired” and expressing his desire to “serve the king and the people”. The son of former King Norodom Sihanouk became the fourth royal figure to leave the political ring after Princes Norodom Sirivuddh, Sisowath Thomico and Norodom Vicheara.

Prince Ranariddh, who was not in Cambodia for the July 2008 election campaign due to his condemnation for Breach of Trust in the FUNCINPEC headquarters case, still won enough votes to be elected once again to represent his district of Kampong Cham as a deputy. Despite this small victory, he chose to hand over his legislative mandate to You Hockry, his personal secretary-general. After having acknowledged the results of the legislative elections and upon the head of government's request to the King, he was granted Royal Pardon, a decision which allowed him to return to Cambodia a free man at the end of September this year, after more than a year in exile.

“The number of voters in favour of these parties [FUNCINPEC and NRP] has decreased, which limits their political influence”, as pointed out by Koul Panha, executive director of the local NGO COMFREL defending free and fair elections. “Being involved in politics means taking big risks. Sometimes it gives good results, but sometimes it gives bad ones.”

The new rules of the political game
However, this loss of political influence and therefore of impact in the elections did not appear out of the blue. A constitutional bill was adopted in March 2006 after the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) presented it to the CPP, who validated it. The article changed the whole deal and stated that in order to form a government, the winning party only needed the support of half of the total number of MPs plus one, whereas previously, it needed the support of two thirds of MPs. The message was crystal-clear: with that bill, the CPP did not need a coalition involving a third political party to be able to rule. Shortly after the enforcement of the law, without even waiting for the new 2008 legislative poll, Prince Ranariddh resigned from his position as chairman of the National Assembly, a position he had taken at the beginning of the second legislature (1998-2003). Seven months later, he was dismissed from the FUNCINPEC leadership at a congress gathering his former followers.

“This bill is one of the reasons why the FUNCINPEC lost the political strength it had against the CPP. The '50% plus one' rule simply paved the way for the CPP”, Koul Panha observed. And indeed, the CPP came out as the outstanding winner of the July 2008 elections with 90 seats out of 123 in the National Assembly.

A year after the adoption of the bill, a new event came to revive the debate over the participation of princes and princesses in their country's political life: in a message published on his personal website, former King Norodom Sihanouk urged royals to give up any political activity to fully dedicate their time to social activities. The call was at that time heard by Prince Norodom Sirivuddh who was the first royal to step down from his position as FUNCINPEC MP for the Kandal province and make his way back to the Royal Palace.

A withdrawal meant to help restore royal reputation
Yet, according to some political observers in Cambodia, coming from politicians, whether they be royals or not, retiring from politics is absolutely normal and does not affect the Royal family's reputation. “It is their own choice, just like it could be that of politicians coming from ordinary families. When they do not score good results, they go back to neutral activities. Same as in the world of business! But it is true that those who are involved in politics do not generally retire easily”, Koul Panha remarked, yet stressing the fact that despite their absence from the political stage, princes and princesses could still remain influential. In other monarchical states like Thailand or Japan, as the COMFREL director emphasized, the Royal family, who hold honorary positions within the state, are encouraged to take care of more neutral activities rather than getting involved in politics. In such contexts, their aura remained quite significant.

Prince Sisowath Thomico, for his part, has been purposely abstaining from making any political comments for nine months after setting up in 2006 the Sangkum Cheat Niyum Front party, sealing an alliance with the NRP a year later and finally deciding to join the FUNCINPEC. Today, he strongly urges the Royal family to distance themselves from politics, even though the country's Constitution does not state that heirs of the Khmer monarchy cannot have any political activity. King Norodom Sihamoni 's cousin, who did not manage to politically gather all royalist forces as he once intended to, reckoned that “If they apply themselves to serving the people, the Nation and the King, the influence of Royal figures will be restored.”

Assessments needed for the royalist parties
Led today by Keo Puth Rasmey, the King-Father's son-in-law, the FUNCINPEC, founded by Norodom Sihanouk fifteen years ago, is one of the leading political parties in a country undergoing massive reconstruction but then suffered from its own internal divisions and the withdrawal of some of its members, in favour of the ruling political party. Recently, some forty members, including Serei Kosal, a fervent follower of the party, and Aok Socheat, the FUNCINPEC president's counsellor, rallied the CPP. The cocktail created by leadership issues, opportunism and the interference of other political parties considerably weakened the royalist party, who yet worked together with the CPP in the coalition government, Koul Panha explained. “Besides, some voters are said to feel dissatisfied about the fact that the FUNCINPEC did not keep the promises and commitments they made in the last elections, particularly regarding issues of territory integrity, immigration or the improvement of civil servants' standard of living”, the political analyst put forward.

Nhek Bun Chhay, secretary-general of the FUNCINPEC and one of the two MPs who were elected in July 2008 to represent the colours of the royalist party, was asked by Hun Sen to provide a list of FUNCINPEC members who could potentially hold the positions of under-secretary of state in the fourth mandate. He described as “normal” the withdrawal of several members from his political formation and declared he was not interested in the phenomenon. “Some left [the party] to satisfy their own interest and obtain positions. It is their right to do so. The political group will soon convene a seminar and re-examine the party's structure”, the deputy prime Minister promised. He expressed in reassuring words the idea that his party would keep going and rejected the information according to which he might be coveting party leadership...

“A return to pre-March 18th 1970 Khmer customs”
The retirement of certain royals from political life was welcomed, if not encouraged, by King Norodom Sihamoni. In early December, Prince Ranariddh was appointed to the honorary position of chief personal superior advisor to the King, a position which holds a rank equivalent to that of Prime Minister. This decision came after 26 princes and princesses were themselves appointed in early November to the King's advisory Council and Royal Secretariat, positions which also hold high ranks, similar to that of Prime Minister, secretary and under-secretary of state. Prince Sisowath Thomico, among the 26 appointees, welcomed the decision and insisted that it would allow princes and princesses to receive a salary. “Before March 18th 1970 [date of the military coup organised by general Lon Nol, after which Prince Norodom Sihanouk, then head of state, was overthrown], royals benefited from a salary given by the Royal Palace. But today, these appointments within the Royal Palace mean a return to Khmer traditions and are an honour for the Royal family”, Prince Thomico estimated. The latter pointed out that royals would therefore be able to serve the King and the people regarding “cultural, humanitarian and health issues”.

Koul Panha, for his part, reckoned that the appointments were above all the result of a deal made with the government and represented a test for the royals. “They must be aware that these positions are only granted to them because they said no to their political influence”, he observed.

Dream of royalist rebirth down the drain ... for now

Prince Ranariddh at a dinner on Thursday night during which he announced his resignation from active politics. (Photo: HENG CHIVOAN)

Prince's retirement has divided royalists looking for future rebirth

Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Written by Sebastian Strangio and Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Prince Ranariddh's withdrawal from politics casts a fresh shadow over the Kingdom's divided royalist parties, but analysts say it will have little impact on the rest of the political landscape

PRINCE Norodom Ranariddh's retirement from active politics and reconciliation with the new government of Prime Minister Hun Sen has closed the curtain on one of Cambodia's enduring personal rivalries.

But analysts say it will have little impact on a political landscape long dominated by the ruling Cambodian People's Party and increasingly isolated from the upheavals of the Kingdom's divided royalists, who now face a future on the political periphery.

Ranariddh's resignation came just days after a royal amnesty overturned his 2007 fraud conviction and allowed him to return to Cambodia from 18-months of self-imposed exile in Malaysia. Shortly after his arrival September 28, Ranariddh said he was walking away from active politics.

"I met the King this morning and I told him that I have quit politics," the 64-year-old Prince told journalists at a dinner last Thursday night. "I am no longer an opposition party. But I have come back to Cambodia and I want to serve my nation."

A Norodom Ranariddh Party statement released Saturday said the Prince has handed control of the party to Vice President Chhim Siek Leng, whose appointment as president is likely to be confirmed at the next party congress.

Ranariddh's resignation caps a long decline in the fortunes of Cambodia's royalist movement. Since Funcinpec's victory in the UN-brokered elections of 1993 - a high-water mark of royalism that saw Prince Ranariddh lead the party to win 58 seats in the National Assembly - the party has lost ground at every poll, dropping from 43 seats in 1998 to 26 seats in 2003.

In July's national election, the party lost 24 of its remaining seats, winning just five percent of the national vote. The breakaway NRP, led by Ranariddh from his Malaysian exile, won another two seats.

Business as usual

Despite the symbolism of Prince Ranariddh's resignation, sources close to the Prince say it will have little affect on the day-to-day running of the country.

"Cambodian politics will just continue along as usual," said the Prince's adviser, Naranariddh Ayandanath. "Prince Ranariddh has served the people for the past 25 years and I believe he has done his duty as a royal and as a Cambodian. He thinks that is enough."

Other sources said that the Prince still had a strong public profile and would likely exercise the same moderate influence in retirement as he did while in exile.

Koul Panha, executive director of election monitor Comfrel, told the Post that the resignation of the Prince and the expected appointment of his deputy as NRP president merely formalised the situation that has existed since Ranariddh fled the country in March 2007. "While Ranariddh was away, Chhim Siek Leng was the acting president, so it's not a big change," he said.

Son Soubert, who sits on the Constitutional Council as a Human Rights Party delegate, agreed politics would be business as usual in the Prince's absence. "I don't think this [resignation] will affect anything because the Prince's personality is still known amongst the people," he said, adding that though it was a symbolic end of an era, the Prince could still draw on reserves of political capital. "He has a lot of credibility of his own," he added.

Despite his resignation, the NRP has announced it will retain Prince Ranariddh's name and image going into the next mandate, a move Naranariddh Ayandanath said was vital for the party in the long term.

"People enjoy hearing his name," he said. "He has served this country from very difficult periods to where we are now, and his name bears a lot of responsibility. That's why we are honoured to use his name."

Koul Panha said this was an indication the Prince might yet have some political cards to play. "He still puts his name on the party, so he will make sure his name keeps strong in [Cambodian] politics," he said.

Royalist rebirth?

But analysts say Cambodia's divided royalists will need more than name recognition to regain the trust of an electorate that all but abandoned them in this year's national election.

CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said that the involvement of royal figureheads in Cambodian politics had tainted the monarchy's reputation, and that Ranariddh's resignation would be a good thing for the royal family. "Let normal people walk in politics," he said. "In election campaigns, politicians are always impacted by criticisms, and this impacts the reputation of the royal family. The Prince's resignation is good for the monarchy."

Son Soubert agreed, saying the tendency to fall back on evocative symbolism rather than concrete policies had harmed the royalists in the past. "They all use the image of King Father [Norodom Sihanouk]. It hurts the image of the King. If royalist parties want to build their base, they should not call themselves royalist," he said.

Funcinpec public affairs officer Ok Socheat said there was still strong faith in the institution of the monarchy, adding that royalist parties faced a grim future if they could not heal the divisions in their ranks.

"People did not vote for the royalists because divisions occurred ... and they turned to vote for other parties," he said. "They still love the King because they think the King is the roof covering the people."

Lu Laysreng, first deputy president of Funcinpec, agreed: "If royalists do not love royalists, how will the people love royalists?" he said.

On September 8, Prince Sisowath Thomico, who founded the now-defunct Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party in 2006 after being ousted from Funcinpec, announced plans for a new party to unite the scattered royalist vote in the wake of the 2008 national elections.

"We are waiting to see if a new government will regard royalism as a way of pointing the country in the right direction," he told the Post at the time. "If so, we will cooperate with them. If they don't, I will not allow royalism to lose votes."

Prince Thomico was abroad and not available for comment, but Son Soubert said the proposed establishment of a new royalist party was unlikely to gain much support. "If you take into account all the damage done to the image of the royalist parties, I don't think it would work. What sort of political platform would they have? It cannot be based on the image of the King Father. It needs to respond in some way to the needs of the people," he said.

However, Koul Panha warned against writing the royalists off altogether. "Maybe the next mandate will show that this was the breaking point for the royalists," he said. "But most of the royal family are politicians, so in the next five years things could change."

Hun Sen faces few challengers as Cambodia vote nears [... only the election will tell the truth]

A Cambodian Buddhist monk walks past the Sam Rainsy Party headquarters in Phnom Penh

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — With nearly six weeks until Cambodia's general election, almost everyone says they already know the result.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, Southeast Asia's longest-serving leader besides the sultan of Brunei, has spent much of his 23 years in power ruthlessly undermining his political rivals, who are now so weakened that analysts say none have much hope of success.

Cambodia has 57 parties, but only 11 are running in the July 27 poll -- less than half the number that contested the last national election five years ago.

Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) towers above them all.

"Who will win? The CPP. No doubt about that. Even without taking into consideration threats, pressure and vote buying, the CPP is the one with the people on the ground," said Cambodian political analyst Chea Vannath.

The CPP was installed by communist Vietnam in 1979, after Hanoi invaded and toppled the Khmer Rouge -- the genocidal regime behind Cambodia's infamous "Killing Fields."

While the CPP has dropped its communist ideology, it retains a ubiquitous presence across the country and a tight grip on every level of government.

"Government and administrative offices throughout the country are very extensive and tightly controlled," said Lao Mong Hay, senior researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission.

Opposition members have already accused Hun Sen of buying off their supporters by offering them attractive jobs, a charge the premier has brushed off.

"They say that we are buying people. We are the ruling party -- we have the right to appoint them to positions of power," Hun Sen said last week, during one of his daily televised speeches given at events big and small across the country.

Hun Sen, 55, became prime minister in 1985 and has single-mindedly focused on staying in power, publicly vowing to remain in office until he turns 90.

He actually lost his first election to a royalist party in UN-backed polls in 1993, but bargained his way into becoming a "second prime minister" and then reasserted total control in a 1997 coup.

Hundreds of people were killed in the run-up to elections the following year. Protests against Hun Sen's victory were put down violently.

The last national election in 2003 was far less violent, but plunged the kingdom into a year of political stalemate as parties wrangled over forming a coalition.

The party's current coalition partner, the royalist Funcinpec, has been hobbled by infighting and the ouster of its leader, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who has formed his own eponymous party.

With their ranks divided, analysts say the royalists appear spent as a political force.

The main opposition Sam Rainsy Party is expected to win few votes outside the capital. Hun Sen rival Kem Sokha has formed a new Human Rights Party that will be cutting its teeth in the polls.

Some 8.1 million people are registered to vote at 15,000 polling stations, under the eyes of more than 13,000 domestic and international observers.

During his rule, Hun Sen has steered the impoverished country out of the ashes of civil war and grown the economy by opening up to trade and tourism.

Garment exports and tourism have brought double-digit economic growth, but Cambodia remains one of the world's poorest countries. Some 35 percent of its 14 million people live on less than 50 US cents a day.

Spiralling inflation has raised concerns about CPP's management of the economy.

"You can see the price of gasoline goes up every day," analyst Chea Vannath said. "I'm sure it will be one of the main concerns."

But he predicted Hun Sen would nonetheless romp to victory.

"The Cambodian people are traumatized by past experiences, so they don't show up on the street," she said.

The royalists are united around Norodom Ranarith

31-08-2007
By Kong Sothanarith
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

A large portion of the royalist movement wishes to see the reunification of this movement behind Prince Ranariddh.

The royalists from all parties are crying out their intention to regroup themselves around Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Following their defeat at the latest election, it is imperative for them to put an end to their divisions. The rift dated back to the Funcinpec congress which was held in October 2006, and it became more serious after the sentencing of the prince and his voluntary self-exile. The prince’s return still remains uncertain.

“We hope to re-launch the negotiations between Funcinpec and the NRP. The goal is to bring back the prince to the Funcinpec folds, because for all of us, in both camps, we love royalty,” claimed Ok Socheat, the former advisor of Prince Ranariddh who followed him to the NRP for several months, before returning back recently to join Funcinpec again.

However, the situation seems clear to Ranariddh. He will not come back on his decision. He considers himself a victim of a plot fomented within Funcinpec at the last congress. He still insists on this point, as he expressed it in his latest letter dated 27 August. “Whether the prince returns back or not is no problem for Funcinpec, the local NRP leaders in the provinces already start to desert him. And if he does not come back, there will nobody with him anymore,” Ok Socheat said.

A different tune is advanced by Pok Than, NRP secretary general, who is persevering and confirms that he is “staying with Prince Ranariddh, because we are optimistic about the future.” “I think that staying with the Prince is not a danger, however, we are scared (to see) the waves of Funcinpec party members who left to join the CPP rank. Prince Ranariddh is more popular than Funcinpec. We hope that he will come back in time for the crucial 2008 election,” Pok Than added.

Lu Laysreng testing the water to see if Ranariddh would return back to F’pec

One Funcinpec official supports the union of royalists

22 April 2007
By Phan Sophat
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A high-ranking Funcinpec official declared today that he is supporting the idea of uniting the royalist movement.

Lu Laysreng, Funcinpec first vice-president, told RFA that the division within Funcinpec caused the party to lose significant amount of support: “The unification is better because the division into Funcinpec and NRP shows the results: it is a failure, failure behind [Sam] Rainsy [Party], and it will lead to [even] more difficulties [in the future].”

Lu Laysreng’s declaration came after the call made by Prince Thomico, the general delegate of the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJFP), who wanted to unite all the pro-royalist parties, and then leading this group of parties to unite with other democratic groups.

Prince Thomico who will leave for Malaysia to meet with Prince Norodom Ranariddh today, said that he is optimist that the union will occur soon: “I am recalling that the votes received by the Funcinpec party, is entirely due to treachery, they tricked the voters into thinking that Funcinpec and NRP are one single party. So what does this mean? It means that in reality, when I return back from Malaysia, we will forge a union between the 3 royalist parties, and form a single party. I believe that we will unite in the near future, this means that [it will occur] in May.”

Regarding the unification of the royalist parties, in particular between Funcinpec and NRP, Lu Laysreng advanced today a formula for this unification whereby Prince Ranariddh will maintain his position as the historical president of the [Funcinpec] party, a title which Lu Laysreng claimed that the prince still holds.

Lu Laysreng told RFA that there is no law which removed Prince Ranariddh from his position as historical president yet. “According to the law, Prince Ranariddh is Funcinpec historical president still, because during the [Funcinpec] congress, he was nominated as Funcinpec historical president. Neither me, nor Mr. Keo Puth Rasmei, nor Mr. Nhiek Bun Chhay have the right to remove him (Ranariddh) from that position. So according to the law, if he stakes his claim, he can still be the historical president which a very important position. According to the bylaw we prepared, the historical president if above the party president, to remove the historical president requires waiting until the next congress, if the congress allows his removal, then he can be removed. Therefore, there is no need for unification, he only needs to come back and receive the [historical] president title.”

In reaction to Lu Laysreng’s declaration, Prince Ranariddh, NRP president who is currently living overseas, told RFA that he supports the unification of royalist parties, but that he cannot accept a meaningless position, which he terms: issued from a coup-de-party or a group of traitors.

Prince Ranariddh said: “For me, first of all, the unification of royalist, I support it. Second, I regret that Funcinpec which I was president back then, but they decided to organize an illegal congress, and they gave me a puppet position because they have planned a new bylaw for the party, in addition, they removed my picture from the party logo also. Another point I want to tell you about, if they keep me as the party historical president, why does Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay sued me, and the court sentenced me to 18 months in jail? Therefore, I am telling them back that, to me, I do not reject the unification, I do not object to the idea of having me returning back to control Funcinpec again, but this needs reviewing and discussions…”

Royalist Parties face uncertain future

03 April 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

After the commune election, the results show that the number of votes received by royalist parties is meager, and this led party officials to talk about their uncertain future. Prince Sisowath Thomico, the general delegate of the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJFP) which did not receive any seat during this election at all, said that his principal goal before the 2008 election is to unite the three royalist parties. The prince told The Cambodia Daily that this is his top priority. The prince believes that Funcinpec is also looking forward to this unification. Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec’s spokesman, said that his party has not yet made any decision on its future, and even though his party did not receive much vote, it will still remain as the partner of the government. Muth Channtha, NRP spokesman, said that his party will not unite with Funcinpec, which he called a dying party. He added that his party could unite Prince Thomico’s SJFP.