CPP set for landslide win in sub-national elections
WI TH t he ruling Cambodian People’s Part y (CPP) on course for a landslide v ictor y in t his year’s municipal, prov incia l and district council elections, preliminar y results showed t hat t he fledgling Khmer Will Part y (K WP) founded last year received t wo votes despite hav ing no eligible voters.
The t wo votes were received i n Phnom Penh and Prey Veng province at t he prov incia l and municipal level.
Sar Kheng, t he Minister of Interior, said the smooth running of the elections showed Cambodians adhered to t he principles of multi-part y democracy.
K WP president Kong Monika said t he votes his part y received could not be considered a success.
However, he said the K WP had taken part in t he elections to strengt hen t he part y’s structure at t he subnationa l level in preparation for t he 2022 commune and 2023 national elect ions.
On Monday, the National Election Committee released t he preliminar y results of Sunday’s municipal, prov incia l and district council elect ions.
Two parties wit hout eligible voters still contested t he elections. While the K WP won two votes, the Khmer Republican Part y (KRP) received no support.
Preliminar y results suggested t hat the Khmer National Unit y Part y (KNUP), a lthough receiv ing good support i n Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey and Kampong Speu prov inces, lost the support of 52
commune councillors.
KNUP spokesperson Run Meatra said his part y had 227 councillors.
An NEC spokesperson said the KNUP received only 175 votes across the country. This implies the party lost the support of 52 commune councillors.
“This is normal in a democracy. There are people who are loya l and t hose who are not. It is usual for support to fluctuate.
“Other parties tried to persuade
our councillors to support their party. Some parties lacked voters so they lobbied our councillors, and we did the same,” Meatra said.
According to the NEC’s preliminary results, KNUP received 36, 32 and 31 votes respectively in Siem Reap, Kampong Speu and Banteay Meanchey provinces.
Meatra said this showed t hat councillors in t hese prov inces remained loya l to part y president Nhek Bun Chhay.
President of the Cambodian Youth Party (CYP) Pich Sros on Monday said his party had increased its votes to eight from its three commune councillors.
He said the increase in support reflected the elections taking place “smoothly and without any duress”.
Meanwhile, Sar Kheng on Monday thanked security forces and the authorities at all levels for their efforts in ensuring public order during Sunday’s polls.
He said the elections went ahead “successfully, safely and without violence”.
“All voters went to fulfil their obligations. In general, the election process and ballot counting went smoothly, without any obstacles and with no violence or threats, and the safety situation, in general, was good,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday.
Sar Kheng, who is also deputy prime minister, said the success of the elections reflected the contribution of all Cambodians and political parties in adhering to the principles of multi-party democracy and respecting social harmony.
NEC spokesperson Hang Puthea said the official election results were expected to be announced on June 8.
The NEC would divide the council positions among the parties that had won the elections. The newly elected council members would then take up their positions after 14 days.
He said the CPP had received the majority of votes in all capital and provincial districts, and its candidates would, therefore, become council chiefs. Councils did not have deputy chiefs, only members, he added.