Hun Sen's ruling party in Cambodia claims all 125 election seats in sham poll dubbed 'death of democracy'

Our Foreign Staff
Updated
Cambodia woke to another chapter of rule by strongman Hun Sen on Monday - REUTERS
Cambodia woke to another chapter of rule by strongman Hun Sen on Monday - REUTERS

Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) said on Monday it had won all 125 parliamentary seats up for grabs in a general election a day earlier that critics said was neither free nor fair.

Cambodia woke to another chapter of rule by strongman Hun Sen a day after an election that was heavily criticised by rights groups, the United States and other Western countries.

"The CPP won 77.5 percent of the votes and won all the parliamentary seats," CPP spokesman Sok Eysan told Reuters by telephone. "The other parties won no seats."

The White House said it would consider steps, including an expansion of visa restrictions placed on some Cambodian government members, in response to "flawed elections" in which there was no significant challenger to Hun Sen.

Critics say the election was a backward step for democracy in Cambodia following the dissolution last year of the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) and the jailing of its leader, Kem Sokha, on treason charges.

A boy watches his father vote as Cambodians cast their ballots during an election that has been criticised by the US and the EU - Credit: Paula Bronstein/Getty
A boy watches his father vote as Cambodians cast their ballots during an election that has been criticised by the US and the EU Credit: Paula Bronstein/Getty

Former CNRP president Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile, said the election was a "hollow" victory for Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge commander who has ruled Cambodia for nearly 33 years.

The United States has imposed visa curbs on some Cambodian government members over a crackdown on critics and levied sanctions in June on a high-ranking official close to Hun Sen.

The European Union has threatened Cambodia with economic sanctions.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Sunday's vote "failed to represent the will of the Cambodian people".

"The United States will consider additional steps to respond to the elections and other recent setbacks to democracy and human rights in Cambodia, including a significant expansion of the visa restrictions announced on December 6, 2017," Sanders said.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said the White House statement was an attempt to intimidate Cambodia.

"This is against the Cambodians who went to vote to decide their own fate," Phay Siphan told Reuters.

Even as the West criticised the process, Hun Sen still has one important ally, China, which offered warm congratulations for a smooth election.

China has poured billions of dollars in development assistance and loans into Cambodia through bilateral frameworks and its Belt and Road initiative to build a new Silk Road.

"I believe that the Cambodian parliament election is an internal matter for Cambodia," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing in Beijing on Monday.

"We hope that the international community can provide constructive help for Cambodia to remain stable and achieve development."

The CNRP acalled on the international community to reject the result of the election. "29 July 2018 marked the death of democracy in Cambodia, a dark new day in recent history," said CNRP vice president Mu Sochua. "The result announced by the CPP and the National Election Committee must be fully rejected by the international community."