Long-time Ruler Hun Sen Hands Power to His Son

Long-time Ruler Hun Sen Hands Power to His Son

Just re-elected, now he is handing over his position to his son: Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced his resignation. In three weeks, Hun Manet will take over, said the leader on television.

After nearly 40 years in power, Cambodia's long-time Prime Minister Hun Sen is stepping down from his position. In about three weeks, his eldest son, General Hun Manet, will be appointed as the new Prime Minister, announced the 70-year-old leader in a televised speech.

The long-time ruler did not provide an exact date for his 45-year-old son's assumption of office. At the same time, Hun Sen announced his intention to continue leading the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and become the President of the Senate in 2024.

Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving government leaders, recently secured the retention of power in the parliamentary elections held on Sunday, as expected. According to preliminary results, the CPP won at least 120 seats in the 125-member National Assembly.

Election victory thanks to massive repressions

The autocratic leader faced no competition in the election due to massive repressions. The only opposition party with real chances, the "Candlelight Party," was banned from participating by the Constitutional Court. They were alleged to have failed to submit the necessary papers in time. Party members claim that they were hindered by the state bureaucracy. Many party members were arrested, while others fled abroad.

Hun Sen had once fought under dictator Pol Pot for the Khmer Rouge but later defected to the Vietnamese. In 1985, he became the Prime Minister of the Kingdom. For years, Hun Sen has been grooming his son as his successor. Human rights activists have compared the situation in the Southeast Asian country to that in North Korea, describing it as a "dynastic dictatorship."