Cambodia’s new parliament convened on Monday (Aug 21), setting the stage for long-time ruler Hun Sen to officially hand power to his eldest son after last month’s one-sided election.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won all but five of 125 seats in the lower house in July polls that widely decried as a sham after the main opposition party barred from running
Cambodian head of state King Norodom Sihamoni – who holds a largely symbolic role – opened parliament and congratulated the newly elected MPs including Hun Sen and Hun Manet, both wearing traditional attire.
He said the country had made great progress over the last 30 years, and urged MPs to make “further efforts to help people live with equality”.
The king also said he believed the new government will receive parliament’s mandate.
Parliament will reconvene on Tuesday to officially elect four-star general Hun Manet, 45, as the country’s new leader.
Hun Many will become the minister of civil service, while the sons of the current interior and defence ministers will take over their fathers’ posts, according to a draft list of the new cabinet members seen by AFP.