Elections in Cambodia

Cambodia is a one party dominant state with the Cambodian People's Party in power. Cambodia's legislature is chosen through a national election. The general election is held every five years in the fourth Sunday of July. The Parliament of Cambodia has two chambers. The National Assembly of Cambodia (Khmer: រដ្ឋសភា, Rotsaphea) has 123 members, each elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. The Senate (Khmer: ព្រឹទ្ធសភា, Protsaphea) has 61 members, appointed by the king on recommendation of the parties in the National Assembly.

Since the signing of the 1991 Paris Peace Accords ending decades of civil war and foreign occupation, and with the final elimination in 1998 of armed insurgency groups inside the country, four national elections have taken place in Cambodia in 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008. The first national elections were administered by United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia (UNTAC) in July 1993, the first commune-level election was held in February 2002 and the Cambodian Senate was elected for the first time by the elected commune council officials in January 2006.

Three main political parties have dominated Cambodian politics over the last decade: the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) and, more recently, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). Although the CPP dominated the elections held on July 27, 2003, it did not win the two-thirds majority required under the constitution to form a government on its own. A new government was formed on July 15, 2004 after protracted negotiations between the CPP and FUNCINPEC on forming a coalition government. In early 2006, the CPP further consolidated its hold on power by passing an amendment to the constitution through Parliament that will allow for a 50% plus one majority in the National Assembly to form a government (instead of the two-thirds majority), thereby reducing its future reliance on FUNCINPEC or another coalition partner.

Latest elections

Main article: Cambodian general election, 2013

 Summary of the 28 July 2013 National Assembly election results

Party	Votes	%		Seats
Cambodian People's Party	3,235,969	48.83%		68
Cambodia National Rescue Party	2,946,176	44.46%		55
FUNCINPEC	242,413	3.66%		—
League for Democracy Party	68,389	1.03%		—
Khmer Anti-Poverty Party	43,222	0.65%		—
Cambodian Nationality Party	38,123	0.58%		—
Khmer Economic Development Party	33,715	0.51%		—
Democratic Republican Party	19,152	0.29%		—
Total (turnout 68.0%)	6,627,159			123
Source: National Election Committee

 Summary of the 29 January 2012 Senate election results

Party	Votes	%		Seats
Cambodian People's Party	8,880	77.81%		46
Sam Rainsy Party	2,503	22.19%		11
Total (turnout)	11,383			57
Source: MYsinchew.com, RFA

Sources: List of Senators
Ruling party wins Cambodia poll

Past elections

2008 General Election

 Summary of the 27 July 2008 National Assembly election results

Party	Votes	%		Seats
Cambodian People's Party	3,492,374	58.1%		90
Sam Rainsy Party	1,316,714	21.9%		26
Human Rights Party	397,816	6.62%		3
Norodom Ranariddh Party	337,943	5.62%		2
FUNCINPEC	303,764	5.05%		2
League for Democracy	68,909	1.15%		—
Khmer Democratic Party	32,386	0.54%		—
Democratic Movement Party	25,065	0.42%		—
Society of Justice Party	14,112	0.23%		—
Khmer Republican Party	11,693	0.19%		—
Khmer Anti-Poverty Party	9,501	0.16%		—
Total (turnout 81.5%)	6,010,277			123
Source: www.necelect.org.kh

2003 General Election

 Summary of the 27 July 2003 National Assembly election results

Party	Votes	%		Seats
Cambodian People's Party	2,447,259	47.3%		73
Sam Rainsy Party	1,130,423	21.9%		24
FUNCINPEC	1,072,313	20.8%		26
Khmer Democratic Party	95,927	1.9%		—
The Rice Party	76,086	1.5%		—
Indra Buddra Party	62,338	1.2%		—
Proloung Khmer Party	56,010	1.1%		—
Total (turnout 81.5%)	5,168,837			123
Sources:www.necelect.org.kh

1998 General Election

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Cambodian People's Party	2,030,790	41.4	64	13
	FUNCINPEC	1,554,405	31.7	43	15
	Sam Rainsy Party	699,655	14.3	15	15
	Democratic Party	90,000	1.80	0	-
	Cambodian National Sustaining Party	71,093	1.40	0	-
	Liberal Democratic Party	46,424	0.9	0	-
	Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party	45,849	0.9	0	10
	Other parties	364,264	7.50	0	1
Total		5,057,679		122	+2
Registered voters/turnout		93.7%		–	–
Source: National Election Committee

1993 General Election

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	FUNCINPEC	1,824,188	45.5	58	58
	Cambodian People's Party	1,533,471	38.2	51	51
	Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party	152,764	3.80	10	10
	MOULINAKA	55,107	1.40	1	1
	Other parties	446,101	11.1	0	0
Total		4,267,192		120	0
Registered voters/turnout		89.6%		–	–
Source: National Election Committee

See also

• Electoral calendar
• Electoral system

External links

• National Election Committee (NEC)
• Adam Carr's Election Archive
• Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) - Development policy research institute
• Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) - NGO
• Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (COFFEL) - NGO