Norodom Ranariddh (right) meeting with Sam Rainsy (left).Cambodia's Prince Ranariddh quits assembly post
Cambodia's Prince Norodom Ranariddh has quit as chairman of the National Assembly, state television reported Friday, a day after his royalist party lost two ministerial posts in the coalition government.
In a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen, Ranariddh said he wanted to devote more time to his FUNCINPEC party.
"As chairman of the National Assembly I have to fulfil many duties, such as leading the National Assembly and overseeing missions which does not allow me to work as an MP and the head of my party," according to the letter read out on TVK television.
"In order to strengthen my FUNCINPEC party, please allow me to resign from the position as the chairman of National Assembly," the letter said.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the decision "will not affect relations between the ruling party of Hun Sen and the royalist party of FUNCINPEC".
Prince Ranariddh, a son of former King Norodom Sihanouk, has been Hun Sen's coalition partner since 1993, but their relationship has been rocky at times.
It hit a low point in 1997 when Hun Sen ousted his then co-Prime Minister Prince Ranariddh in a coup. The two reconciled and formed coalitions after disputed elections in 1998 and 2003.
Ranariddh's move came a day after Hun Sen streamlined his cabinet, dropping two FUNCINPEC co-ministers of defence and the interior, one of them Ranariddh's uncle, Norodom Sirivuth.
The remaining FUNCINPEC ministers would keep their posts until the 2008 elections.
The National Assembly also amended a law to cut the number of seats required to form a majority to 62 in the 123-seat parliament. The previous threshold was 82 seats, or two-thirds.
"Our main purpose for doing this is to avoid political deadlock," Hun Sen told reporters on Thursday.
Cambodia, which has a long history of fractious politics, was deadlocked after Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party failed to win a majority in the 2003 election and it took a year to form a coalition government.
Hun Sen's party won 73 seats in the 2003 polls and is expected to win the next election in 2008.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who returned from self-imposed exile in France last month, had recommended the new election format to Hun Sen after the two bitter rivals patched up their differences in a dramatic public reconciliation.
Hun Sen said last month he would invite the opposition to join his government if the ruling party won the next election.
In a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen, Ranariddh said he wanted to devote more time to his FUNCINPEC party.
"As chairman of the National Assembly I have to fulfil many duties, such as leading the National Assembly and overseeing missions which does not allow me to work as an MP and the head of my party," according to the letter read out on TVK television.
"In order to strengthen my FUNCINPEC party, please allow me to resign from the position as the chairman of National Assembly," the letter said.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the decision "will not affect relations between the ruling party of Hun Sen and the royalist party of FUNCINPEC".
Prince Ranariddh, a son of former King Norodom Sihanouk, has been Hun Sen's coalition partner since 1993, but their relationship has been rocky at times.
It hit a low point in 1997 when Hun Sen ousted his then co-Prime Minister Prince Ranariddh in a coup. The two reconciled and formed coalitions after disputed elections in 1998 and 2003.
Ranariddh's move came a day after Hun Sen streamlined his cabinet, dropping two FUNCINPEC co-ministers of defence and the interior, one of them Ranariddh's uncle, Norodom Sirivuth.
The remaining FUNCINPEC ministers would keep their posts until the 2008 elections.
The National Assembly also amended a law to cut the number of seats required to form a majority to 62 in the 123-seat parliament. The previous threshold was 82 seats, or two-thirds.
"Our main purpose for doing this is to avoid political deadlock," Hun Sen told reporters on Thursday.
Cambodia, which has a long history of fractious politics, was deadlocked after Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party failed to win a majority in the 2003 election and it took a year to form a coalition government.
Hun Sen's party won 73 seats in the 2003 polls and is expected to win the next election in 2008.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who returned from self-imposed exile in France last month, had recommended the new election format to Hun Sen after the two bitter rivals patched up their differences in a dramatic public reconciliation.
Hun Sen said last month he would invite the opposition to join his government if the ruling party won the next election.
Source: Reuters
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