2018 Cambodian Senate election

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| <- 2012 | 25 February 2018 | 2024 ->

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58 of the 62 seats in the Senate
31 seats needed for a majority
Turnout| 99.79% (0.30pp)
| Party  | Leader  | Vote %  | Seats  | +/–

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| CPP | Say Chhum | 96.05  | 58  | +12

This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Senate elections were held in Cambodia on 25 February 2018 after being postponed from 14 January 2018.[1][2] 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.[3] King Norodom Sihamoni nominated Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Oum Somanin to the Senate.[4]

## Background

[edit]

On 11 February 2017, Rainsy resigned as President of the CNRP, and was succeeded by Sokha.[5] On 3 September, Sokha was arrested and charged with treason, raising questions about the party's future.[6] Another act of repression by the government was the closure of the Cambodia Daily newspaper.[7] On 16 November 2017, the CNRP was forcibly dissolved, eliminating any real challenge to the long-ruling CPP.[8] Its seats in parliament were distributed to three other parties.[9] 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.[10]

## Electoral system

[edit]

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.[11]

Regions  | Seats

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Region 1  | 6
Region 2  | 8
Region 3  | 5
Region 4  | 10
Region 5  | 7
Region 6  | 7
Region 7  | 9
Region 8  | 6
Regions  | Provinces

|

Region 1  | Phnom Penh
Region 2  | Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum
Region 3  | Kandal
Region 4  | Banteay Meachey, Battambang, Siem Reap, Pailin, Oddar Meanchey
Region 5  | Kampot, Kep, Takeo
Region 6  | Prey Veng, Svay Rieng
Region 7  | Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, Pursat
Region 8  | Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Kratie, Strung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri

## Conduct

[edit]

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.[12]

The Ballot was arranged in the order of the following:[13]

Ballot Numbers  | Parties

|

1)  | CPP
2)  | CYP
3)  | KNUP
4)  | FUNCINPEC

## Results

[edit]

Party| Votes| %| Seats| +/–
| Cambodian People's Party| 11,202| 96.05| 58| +12
| FUNCINPEC| 276| 2.37| 0| New
| Khmer National United Party| 182| 1.56| 0| New
| Cambodian Youth Party| 3| 0.03| 0| New
Members appointed by National Assembly[14]| | 2| 0
Members appointed by Monarch[15]| | 2| 0
Total| 11,663| 100.00| 62| +1
Valid votes| 11,663| 99.94|
Invalid/blank votes| 7| 0.06|
Total votes| 11,670| 100.00|
Registered voters/turnout| 11,695| 99.79|
Source: Khmer Times

### Results by region

[edit]

Province  | CPP | FUNCINPEC | KNUP | CYP  | Total

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Votes | % | Seats  | Votes | % | Seats  | Votes | % | Seats  | Votes | % | Seats
Region 1  | 897 | 98.57% | 6 | 11  | 1.21%  | 0  | 2  | 0.22%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 910
Region 2  | 1,305 | 95.33% | 8 | 45  | 3.29%  | 0  | 16  | 1.17%  | 0  | 3  | 0.22%  | 0  | 1,369
Region 3  | 871 | 94.37% | 5 | 44  | 4.77%  | 0  | 8  | 0.87%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 923
Region 4  | 2,054 | 92.77% | 10 | 81  | 3.66%  | 0  | 79  | 3.57%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 2,214
Region 5  | 1,324 | 98.95% | 7 | 14  | 1.05%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 1,338
Region 6  | 1,395 | 97.83% | 7 | 18  | 1.26%  | 0  | 13  | 0.91%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 1,426
Region 7  | 1,682 | 97.23% | 9 | 32  | 1.85%  | 0  | 16  | 0.92%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 1,730
Region 8  | 1,674 | 95.49% | 6 | 47  | 2.68%  | 0  | 32  | 1.83%  | 0  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 1,753
Source: NEC[16]

### Elected Senators

[edit]

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 Party  | Tep Ngorn
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chan Nareth
| Cambodian People's Party  | Nam Toum
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chhit 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 Party  | Ok Kong
| Cambodian People's Party  | Seng Siphy
| Cambodian People's Party  | Ok Kong
| Cambodian People's Party  | Pol Lim
| Cambodian People's Party  | Men Chhoeun
| Cambodian People's Party  | An Sum
| Cambodian People's Party  | Hem Khorn
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chung Kimsran
| Cambodian People's Party  | Khieu Muth
| Cambodian People's Party  | Muong Poy
| Cambodian People's Party  | Tim Phan
| Cambodian People's Party  | Choung Veng
| Cambodian People's Party  | Lan Chhorn
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chuan Leng
| Cambodian People's Party  |
| Cambodian People's Party  | Men Siphan
| Cambodian People's Party  | O Sokhom
| Cambodian People's Party  | Kok An
| Cambodian People's Party  | Mong Rithy
| Cambodian People's Party  | Prak Chamroeun
| Cambodian People's Party  | Nhem Samorn
| Cambodian People's Party  |
| Cambodian People's Party  | Kim Thea
| Cambodian People's Party  | Say Borin
| Cambodian People's Party  | Srey Ben
| Cambodian People's Party  | Sam An
| Cambodian People's Party  |
| Cambodian People's Party  | Mam Bunheang
| Cambodian People's Party  | Si Vanath
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chim Lav
| Cambodian People's Party  | Ly Yong Phat
| Cambodian People's Party  | Tep Yuthy
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chheuy Channa
| Cambodian People's Party  | Ly Sary
| Cambodian People's Party  | Chhay Vanna
| Cambodian People's Party  | Khuon Khundy
| Cambodian People's Party  | Heng Bora

## Reactions

[edit]

### FUNCINPEC

[edit]

Nhep Bunchin, spokesman for FUNCINPEC, stated the official results did not differ from the preliminary results and that party still supports the election outcome.[17]

### Cambodian Youth Party

[edit]

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".[17]

### Khmer National United Party

[edit]

Run Meatra the spokesman for the party stated, that the party supports the outcome of the election that it was free and fair.[17]

## Aftermath

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After the election which saw CPP hold all 58 elected seats, the King nominated Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Oum Somanin to the Senate[4] 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.[18]

## References

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1. ^ "Hun Sen sets Senate elections for January". The Phnom Penh Post. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
2. ^ "Cambodia postpones Senate election to Feb. 25 next year - Xinhua | English.news.cn". Archived from the original on October 27, 2017.
3. ^ "Cambodia's Ruling Party to Sweep Senate in Election Without Opposition". Voice of America. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
4. ^ a b "CPP claims all 58 seats up for grabs in Senate".
5. ^ Prak Chan Thul (11 February 2017). "Cambodia opposition leader Rainsy resigns from party". Reuters. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
6. ^ "Cambodia Arrests Opposition Leader, Accusing Him of Treason". The New York Times. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
7. ^ "Cambodia's government is preparing for elections with repression". The Economist. 7 September 2017.
8. ^ "Supreme Court rules to dissolve CNRP". The Phnom Penh Post. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
9. ^ "List of new National Assembly members approved". The Phnom Penh Post. 24 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
10. ^ "EU threatens sanctions - Khmer Times". 2018-02-27. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
11. ^ "ក្នុងការបម្រើជាតិ តើព្រឹទ្ធសភាកម្ពុជា មានតួនាទី ភារកិច្ច និងរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធអ្វីខ្លះ? បើចង់ជ្រាបច្បាស់ សូមរីករាយទស្សនាទាំងអស់គ្នា។ | By TV Senate of Cambodia | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
12. ^ "'Little' campaigning done for Senate polls - Khmer Times". 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
13. ^ "Ruling party draws number one for Senate election - Khmer Times". 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
14. ^ Two members of FUNCINPEC
15. ^ Two independents
16. ^ National Election Committee, NEC (2018). "Election Results of the 2018 Senate Election by Region" (in Khmer). Retrieved 2023-07-24.
17. ^ a b c "Official Senate election results released - Khmer Times". 2018-03-04. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
18. ^ Nachemson, rew; Koemsoeun, Soth. "Two new Funcinpec members confirmed to Senate". www.phnompenhpost.com. Retrieved 2023-04-09.

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