Senate elections were held in Cambodia on 25 February 2018 after being postponed from 14 January 2018. For the first time, the Senate and parliamentary elections occurred in the same year. The result was a victory for the CPP, which won all 58 seats. King Norodom Sihamoni nominated Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Oum Somanin to the Senate.
Background On 11 February 2017, Rainsy resigned as President of the CNRP, and was succeeded by Sokha. On 3 September, Sokha was arrested and charged with treason, raising questions about the party's future. Another act of repression by the government was the closure of the Cambodia Daily newspaper. On 16 November 2017, the CNRP was forcibly dissolved, eliminating any real challenge to the long-ruling CPP. Its seats in parliament were distributed to three other parties. The CNRP was dissolved and revoked the voting rights of its commune councilors and parliamentarians, leading to the arrest of Kem Sokha, a leader of the CNRP, who was arrested on charges of conspiring to overthrow the government with the help of the US. The US and Khem Sokha have both denied the allegations.
Electoral system The Senate of Cambodia is elected every 6 years by an indirect party-list proportional representation through 8 multi members constituencies (regions), with the Communal Chiefs, Communal Councilors, Members of the National Assembly. RegionsSeatsRegion 16Region 28Region 35Region 410Region 57Region 67Region 79Region 86 RegionsProvincesRegion 1Phnom PenhRegion 2Kampong Cham, Tboung KhmumRegion 3KandalRegion 4Banteay Meachey, Battambang, Siem Reap, Pailin, Oddar MeancheyRegion 5Kampot, Kep, TakeoRegion 6Prey Veng, Svay RiengRegion 7Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, PursatRegion 8Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Kratie, Strung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri
Conduct According to the National Election Committee (NEC), three political parties running in next week's Senate election have done virtually little campaigning, which NGOs attribute to the dissolution of the main opposition party. The Cambodian Youth Party, the Khmer National United Party, and FUNCIPEC are these parties. Sotheara Yoeurng, legal and monitoring officer of the Cambodian Committee for Free and Fair Elections, claimed the three parties were scarcely campaigning owing to the dissolution of the CNRP. Prior to the next Senate election on February 25, the NEC has prohibited all political parties from campaigning on nine key boulevards in Phnom Penh.
The Ballot was arranged in the order of the following: +Ballot NumbersParties1)CPP2) CYP3)KNUP4)FUNCINPEC
Results
Results by region ProvinceCPPFUNCINPECKNUPCYPTotalVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsRegion 189798.57%6111.21%020.22%000%0910Region 21,30595.33%8453.29%0161.17%030.22%01,369Region 387194.37%5444.77%080.87%000%0923Region 42,05492.77%10813.66%0793.57%000%02,214Region 51,32498.95%7141.05%000%000%01,338Region 61,39597.83%7181.26%0130.91%000%01,426Region 71,68297.23%9321.85%0160.92%000%01,730Region 81,67495.49%6472.68%0321.83%000%01,753Source: NEC
Results by province ProvinceCPPKNUPFUNCINPECCYPInvalid VotesVotes%Votes%Votes%%VotesVotes%Banteay Meanchey47891.75%295.57%142.69%00%00%Battambang76893.89%80.98%415.01%00%10.12%Kampong Cham78694.24%131.56%344.08%00%10.12%Kampong Chhnang41697.65%71.64%20.47%00%10.23%Kampong Speu57994.61%233.76%101.63%00%00%Kampong Thom54193.12%40.69%366.2%00%00%Kampot55998.94%00%50.88%00%10.18%Kandal87194.37%80.87%444.77%00%00%Koh Kong168100%00%00%00%00%Kratié28695.65%103.34%20.67%00%10.33%Mondulkiri10499.05%00%00%00%10.95%Phnom Penh89798.57%20.22%111.21%00%00%Preah Vihear32497.01%72.1%30.9%00%00%Prey Veng87496.79%131.44%161.77%00%00%Pursat34699.71%00%10.29%00%00%Ratanakiri24895.38%114.23%00%00%10.38%Siem Reap61791.82%304.46%243.57%00%10.15%Preah Sihanouk17394.02%21.09%94.89%00%00%Stung Treng17196.61%00%63.39%00%00%Svay Rieng52199.62%00%20.38%00%00%Takéo73398.79%00%91.21%00%00%Kep32100%00%00%00%00%Pailin5196.23%23.77%00%00%00%Oddar Meanchey14091.5%106.54%21.31%00%10.65%Tboung Khmum51996.83%30.56%112.05%30.56%00%Source: National Election Committee
Elected Senators Party Name (Nominated by King) Norodom Arunrasmey (Nominated by King) Oum Somanin FUNCINPEC Chea Chantevy FUNCINPEC Suon Mean Cambodian People's Party Soeuy Keo Cambodian People's Party Mom Chim Huy Cambodian People's Party Ty Borasy Cambodian People's Party Thong Chan Cambodian People's Party Ouk Bunchhoeun Cambodian People's Party Suon Lon Cambodian People's Party Yong Sem Cambodian People's Party Lao Meng Khin Cambodian People's Party Sok Yat Cambodian People's Party Say Chhum Cambodian People's Party Sok Eysan Cambodian People's PartyTep Ngorn Cambodian People's PartyChan Nareth Cambodian People's PartyNam Toum Cambodian People's PartyChhit Kimyeat Cambodian People's Party Kong Sarath Cambodian People's Party Lay Piseth Cambodian People's Party Chea Cheth Cambodian People's Party Sim Ka Cambodian People's Party Ney Pena Cambodian People's Party Kun Net Cambodian People's PartyOk Kong Cambodian People's PartySeng Siphy Cambodian People's PartyOk Kong Cambodian People's PartyPol Lim Cambodian People's PartyMen Chhoeun Cambodian People's PartyAn Sum Cambodian People's PartyHem Khorn Cambodian People's PartyChung Kimsran Cambodian People's PartyKhieu Muth Cambodian People's PartyMuong Poy Cambodian People's Party Tim Phan Cambodian People's PartyChoung Veng Cambodian People's PartyLan Chhorn Cambodian People's PartyChuan Leng Cambodian People's Party Cambodian People's PartyMen Siphan Cambodian People's PartyO Sokhom Cambodian People's PartyKok An Cambodian People's Party Mong Rithy Cambodian People's PartyPrak Chamroeun Cambodian People's Party Nhem Samorn Cambodian People's Party Cambodian People's PartyKim Thea Cambodian People's Party Say Borin Cambodian People's PartySrey Ben Cambodian People's PartySam An Cambodian People's Party Cambodian People's PartyMam Bunheang Cambodian People's PartySi Vanath Cambodian People's PartyChim Lav Cambodian People's Party Ly Yong Phat Cambodian People's PartyTep Yuthy Cambodian People's PartyChheuy Channa Cambodian People's Party Ly Sary Cambodian People's Party Chhay Vanna Cambodian People's PartyKhuon Khundy Cambodian People's PartyHeng Bora
Reactions FUNCINPEC Nhep Bunchin, spokesman for FUNCINPEC, stated the official results did not differ from the preliminary results and that party still supports the election outcome.
Cambodian Youth Party The CYP's President Pich Sros supported the statement made by FUNCINPEC and stated, "I don't think there was anything wrong with the election".
Khmer National United Party Run Meatra the spokesman for the party stated, that the party supports the outcome of the election that it was free and fair.
Aftermath After the election which saw CPP hold all 58 elected seats, the King nominated Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Oum Somanin to the Senate and the National Assembly elected two FUNCIPEC members to the Senate, bringing the 62-member legislative body dominated by the ruling Cambodian People's Party to a close.
Notes
References