Bangkok (EFE).- Some 9.7 million Cambodians are called this Sunday to go to the polls in an election where the Prime Minister, Hun Sen, who has been in power for almost four decades, seeks to certify his last term before his retirement.
The veteran leader, 70 years old and in power since 1985, has given clues about the apparently close transition in office in favor of his eldest son, Hun Manet.
The polling stations, some with long queues, opened their doors at 7:00 a.m. local time (24:00 GMT) and are scheduled to end the day at 3:00 p.m. (8:00 GMT).
Both Hun Sen and Hun Manet, who is making his debut in the political arena, went to vote early in the morning.
The Cambodia People’s Party (CPP), led by Hun Sen, is the great favorite to once again sweep the vote and take all 125 seats in the national Parliament in the absence of a credible opposition, while the percentage of participation will mark the success or failure of the day.
Participation data
Neth Pheaktra, a spokesman for the Ministry of the Environment and a member of the CPP, indicated on Twitter that turnout was around 64.22% or 6.2 million voters at 11:46 a.m. (4:46 GMT), just over three hours after the polling stations closed.
Although opponents in exile publish dozens of photographs of ballot papers crossed out with a large “X” on social networks that supposedly have been deposited at the polls by voters who intend to express their discontent and boycott the elections.
In addition to the CPP, there are also 17 other small formations on the ballot that lack a national structure and that, according to activists critical of the president, serve to give the elections a false multi-party appearance.
As happened in the months before the 2018 elections, where the CPP won all 125 seats in Parliament, before this Sunday’s vote, the president has dedicated himself to separating the political opposition and the annoying media.
In May, the Electoral Commission disqualified the opposition Candlelight Party, which in the 2022 local elections amassed 22% of the votes, due to a bureaucratic procedure, while in February the authorities withdrew the license of the Voice of Democracy radio station, one of the last independent media outlets in the country.
“We firmly believe that this election lacks authenticity and significant electoral competitiveness, which raises serious doubts about its adherence to democratic principles and international electoral standards,” said 17 NGOs specialized in electoral processes.
Hun Sen, one of the hardest-to-predict Southeast Asian leaders, unexpectedly revealed this week that his 45-year-old son could take office within weeks of the election.
“In three or four weeks, Hun Manet can become prime minister. It depends on whether Hun Manet will be able to do it or not,” Hun Sen said in an interview with the Chinese channel Phoenix Tv broadcast three days before the elections.
The Cambodian politician, who in December 2021 publicly named his son as heir to the position, did not provide further details about this alleged transition in power.
A high turnout in these elections could reinforce the commitment to the offspring, while a low turnout would open up several unknowns about popular support for the succession roadmap designed by the veteran president.
Hun Manet, a four-star general trained at the US Military Academy at West Point, has recently carved out a public image of a statesman closely linked to his father’s legacy.