Cambodian PM Hun Sen to retire after over 38 yrs, transfer power to son in new govt

Phnom Penh: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday announced that he would step down on August 22 after serving in the post for more than 38 years in the Southeast Asian nation, and would pass the reins of power to his eldest son Hun Manet.

“Hun Manet will become the prime minister in just more than three weeks,” the world’s longest serving living Prime Minister said in a televised address on the state-run National Television of Cambodia (TVK).

Hun Sen said the National Assembly would convene for the first time on August 21 under the auspices of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, and the new five-year-term government led by Hun Manet would be sworn in on August 22, reports Xinhua news agency.

The upcoming power transition was to continue ensuring the country’s peace and political stability, he said, adding that the new cabinet would consist of young and dynamic leaders.

Hun Sen said the political power would remain in his hand because he was still the president of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP); however, he would not interfere in the new government’s leadership.

Hun Sen, 70, said he would take the post of President of the Senate after the Senate Election on February 25 next year.

His announcement came after the CPP won a landslide victory in the seventh general election on Sunday, which was held to elect the members of parliament for the 125-seat National Assembly for the 2023-2028 new term.

The National Election Committee (NEC) released the preliminary results on Wednesday, showing the CPP received almost 6.4 million votes, or 82.3 per cent of the total valid votes of 7.77 million, and the Funcinpec Party led by Prince Norodom Chakravuth gained 716,443 votes, or 9.22 per cent of the total valid votes.

Based on the results, the CPP won 120 parliamentary seats and Funcinpec gained the remaining five seats.