Hun Sen’s victory is taken for granted; his son would assume command

Figures on the number of seats won by the Cambodian People’s Party have not yet been released, but it is likely that the government will continue to control the National Assembly. The announcement of the transfer of power to Hun Manet, the 45-year-old army commander (who studied in the West), is awaited.

Phnom Penh () – The victory of the Cambodian People’s Party in yesterday’s elections was assured: Prime Minister Hun Sen’s statements leave no room for doubt. However, the figures for the elections that point to the renewal of the National Assembly have not yet been made public. The only reported data is participation, which was 84%. The prime minister pointed out that there were still some differences and declared that he will identify and prosecute those who have canceled ballots.

In recent months, Hun Sen has banned the main opposition party and suppressed any criticism of the government. His party currently controls all 125 seats in the National Assembly, since the previous elections. Now it is difficult to imagine a different perspective: at this point, news about the future of the premier is expected. In his youth, the current prime minister was an activist of the Khmer Rouge and later, in 1975, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the government installed by the Vietnamese – who had forced those responsible for the Cambodian genocide into hiding. Finally in 1985 he assumed the government for the first time – being the youngest prime minister in the world – never to abandon it again.

The expectation is focused on the transition of power: the prime minister, now 70 years old, announced three days before the vote that he will transfer command to his eldest son, Hun Manet. He is the commander of the army and the anti-terrorist services (he studied economics in the United States and the United Kingdom, and obtained his diploma from the West Point military academy). The 45-year-old soldier has undoubtedly won a seat and could be well received abroad if, once the new Assembly is inaugurated, his father officially names him his successor and announces his candidacy to lead the new government. It would certainly be a positive sign with a view to improving relations with the West. In particular with Washington, which does not hide its discomfort over the convergence between Phnom Penh and Beijing and which is closely following the expansion works of the Ream naval base because it would grant the Chinese navy access to the Gulf of Thailand.

Over the years, Hun Sen has been able to build a control system based on loyalty to his person and on the general repression of political and social parties critical of authoritarian management. In this way, the Cambodian People’s Party became the sole protagonist of the political scene, with no other alternative. International criticism of his regime has been constant. However, China’s protection spared Cambodia from sanctions and made the small Southeast Asian country not only an ally but also a free zone where transnational crime is rife. from the exploitation of human beings to cybercrime.

The country enjoys relative well-being, acquired through the sale of interests and natural resources to figures loyal to Hun Sen and to foreign countries. However, the wealth distribution figures are among the worst in Asia: pockets of poverty persist and human rights violations multiply.