Early indications showed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party headed for victory in local elections Sunday as people voted in large numbers for the first time since a 2018 general election that was widely criticized as unfair.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party was virtually certain to capture the lion’s share of 11,622 council seats being contested in 1,652 communes throughout the country. The party has held an iron grip on power for decades, and has the huge advantage of controlling almost every local government. Its opponents are less organized, with much fewer resources and have complained of intimidation and threats.
