Cambodia’s electoral authority announced on Saturday the final results of last month’s parliamentary elections – confirming a “landslide” victory for incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party.
In the state television channel TVK and on social media, the country’s election committee states that the already ruling party ended up with 120 of the National Assembly’s 125 mandates. The remaining five seats go to the royalist party Funcipec.
The election, which was held on July 23, has been heavily contested by the West. Among other things, an upstart party was prevented from running with reference to a technicality.
The EU, the US and other countries have refused to send election observers because they believe that the election lacks the conditions to be classified as free and fair.
According to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, the election had “few similarities to a real democratic process”.
Three days after the election, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced he was handing over government power to his son – but also said he intended to retain his influence over politics.