Phnom Penh, Cambodia.- Early indications showed that the ruling party of Cambodia to which the prime minister belongs Hun Sen was headed to victory in local elections on Sunday, after people turned out to vote in large numbers for the first time since a 2018 general election that was widely criticized as rigged.
It was almost taken for granted that the Cambodian People’s Party would capture most of the 11,622 council seats contested in 1,652 communes across the country. The party has maintained an iron grip on power for decades, and has the enormous advantage of controlling almost all local governments. His opponents are less organized, have far fewer resources, and have complained of intimidation and threats.
State media announced the preliminary results commune by commune on Sunday night, but the official aggregate count will be released on June 26th.
Several governors quoted by the government-friendly website Fresh News said unofficial results showed Hun Sen’s party had won the majority of municipal elections in their provinces. Previously, news websites that spread polling station counts had generally put the ruling party in the lead.
Turnout was more than 77% of the 9.2 million registered voters, said Prach Chan, chairman of the National Election Committee.
He stated that the elections they were free and fair, without intimidation or threats, contrary to what was said by the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva, which last week noted that there had been a “pattern of threats, intimidation and obstruction against opposition candidates “.
Hun Sen’s party was the only one to present candidates in all municipalities. Its most serious rival was the Party of the candle lightwhich brought together opposition supporters.
Hun Sen, an authoritarian ruler in a nominally democratic state, has been in power for 37 years. He and his wife voted Sunday morning in Kandal province, near the capital Phnom Penh. Hun Sen has stated his intention to remain in office until 2028 and has supported one of his sons to succeed him.
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Local elections are held a year before the general elections and are seen as a test of party strength.
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