Cambodia’s Election Committee rejects the registration of an opposition party for the July elections

May 15. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The Cambodian Electoral Committee (NEC) has rejected this Monday the registration of the main opposition party, Luz de Vela, for the next elections, scheduled for July 23, for not having sent the corresponding documentation to the Ministry of the Interior.

The decision, announced by the body in a statement after a meeting led by its president, Prach Chan, leaves out the opposition party, founded by Sam Rainsy, for not having sent the corresponding documentation.

However, the Ministry of the Interior announced in early May that the opposition formation had been correctly registered in accordance with the party law, with Teav Vannol as president, according to the newspaper ‘The Phnom Penh Post’.

Although the opposition party has been left out — which has already announced that it will challenge the decision — another 18 formations have been approved as of this Monday, with at least 20 presenting themselves, according to the AKP news agency.

The European Union has condemned this decision and has ensured that this action by the Cambodian electoral committee is “another worrying sign” that the opposition space has been reduced, as reported by the Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Nabila Massrali.

“The European Union strongly opposes the decision taken today by the Cambodian Electoral Authority, which adds to the deprivation of citizens of the right to choose their representatives. Democratic elections require open, inclusive and credible political competition and that citizens can freely choose their representatives”, has settled.