Cambodian PM-led party wins 120 out of 125 parliamentary seats in recent polls

PHNOM PENH - The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) led by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen won 120 out of 125 parliamentary seats in a recent general election, according to the National Election Committee (NEC) official results released on Saturday. The Funcinpec Party of Prince Norodom Chakravuth gained the remaining five seats, said the results announced on the state-run National Television of Cambodia. “Yes, the official results indicate that the CPP won 120 parliamentary seats and the Funcinpec Party earned five seats in the July 23 general election,” the NEC’s member and spokesman Dim Sovannarom told Xinhua. Eighteen political parties contested in the seventh general election. The NEC said the CPP garnered almost 6.4 million votes, or 82.3 percent, of the total valid votes, and the Funcinpec Party received 716,490 votes, or 9.2 percent. Hun Sen, who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia for more than 38 years, announced last week that he would step down and hand over the position to his eldest son Hun Manet. However, the 70-year-old leader said he will remain the CPP’s president and will also take the position of President of the Senate after the Senate Election on Feb. 25 next year. Hun Sen said the newly elected National Assembly will convene its first session on Aug. 21 and a new five-year-term government led by Hun Manet will be sworn in on Aug. 22. Hun Manet, 45, is currently a member of the CPP’s Standing Committee and a deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

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