Communal elections will be held in Cambodia on 6 June 2027, to elect 1,652 commune chiefs and commune councils. They will inturn, further elect senators, which are due in 2029. This will be the first election in Cambodia, after the border crisis with Thailand which further escalated into direct violence, and the change of prime ministers from Hun Sen to his son, Hun Manet. Where this election in itself is highly regarded as a referendum on the Manet's government and the handling of the border crisis with Thailand
Electoral system
All 1,652 commune chiefs are elected by a simple plurality in a single round of voting, also known as first past the post. Where the party with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve an absolute majority.
In addition to this, all 1,652 will elect a council for each respective commune. Under Sub-Decree 107, communes are limited to the following number of councillors per commune only, where the decision the size of the council is to be decided by "geographical and demographic factors" according to the National Election Committee (NEC). Where the council is elected using closed list proportional representation, under the d'Hondt method. +Number of possible seat allocations in commune councils57911 The total number of councillors and commune chiefs remains unchanged from the 2022 election, at 1,652 commune chiefs and 11,622 councillors respectively.
Changes to the Electoral System The National Assembly approved a proposal aimed at amending how seats are allocated in commune councils, widely seen as a method to make obtaining council seats more challenging to opposition parties. Under the old systems, the 1st and 2nd deputy chief was automatically awarded to the second and third largest party by vote share. However, under the new system, if a party gains two-thirds of the votes, both deputy chiefs are automatically awarded to the respective party. This move was widely criticized by many political organizations such as the Alliance towards the Future as an attempt to limit opposition seats and political representation. Kan Savang, a representative of COMFREL, questioned whether the amendment was necessary and urged the government to "identify the underlying problem before changing the law". The Human Rights Watch further displayed critism of the new amendments, considering it as a mechanism for the consolidation of power towards the ruling Cambodian People's Party . The government however defend this move, saying the new system will allow for greater accuracy and representation in councils proportionate to election results.
Background After the 2022 communal elections, Cambodian People's Party (CPP) gained a landslide victory, with gains in both commune chiefs and commune councillors. However, the 2022 elections also saw a resurgence of the opposition, the Candlelight party. However, after the 2023 election, where the Candlelight party's candidacy was rejected by the NEC, which led to the formation of the Alliance Towards the Future, an alliance consisting of multiple opposition parties. This will be the first direct election, this alliance will face.
Political parties PartiesLeaderSeatsCommune chiefsCommune councilorsCambodian People's PartyHun SenAlliance Towards the FutureCandlelight PartyTeav VannolGrassroots Democracy PartyVeng VirakDemocratic Progressive PartyYem PonhearithKhmer Will PartyKong MolikaCambodian Reform PartyPol HamFUNCINPECNorodom ChakravuthKhmer National United PartyNhek Bun Chhay Cambodian Youth PartyPich SrosBeehive Social Democratic PartyMam SonandoNation Power PartyChea MonyDid not existDid not exist
Campaign According to party leader Hun Sen, the CPP plans to use the “peaceful resolution policy in the border dispute” as a campaign for the upcoming 2027 commune election and 2028 national election, further tapping into the message of peace and stability which was a core campaign point for the CPP in past elections. This was met with concern from the opposition, where Kong Monika, the leader of the Khmer Will Party, said "there should not be a monopoly on issues". Where he further cited, intimidation and restrictions remain the greatest challenge for opposition campaigns.
Allegations of Foreign Interference The Sunday Guardian, an Indian news outlet, claims to uncover classified documents involving an alleged plan by the United States government, which proposed a program to strengthen the Cambodian opposition via a fund, worth 2 million dollars. According to the plan, the main beneficiary would have been the Alliance Towards the Future and several civil society organizations. The program also aimed at establishing opinion polls and further election monitoring. In response, the Ministry of the Interior issued a warning for all political parties that receiving foreign funding is illegal and may lead to dissolution. Furthermore, Kong Molika, the party leader of the Khmer Will Party, a member of the Alliance Towards the Future has rejected allegations of receiving foreign funding.
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