Cambodia’s election
Cambodia’s embattled opposition Candlelight Party has lost its appeal against disqualification from forthcoming national elections.
This means the country’s long-ruling leader, Prime Minister Hun Sen, will stand unchallenged at the polls in July.
Cambodia’s Constitutional Council, which heard the party’s appeal on Thursday, ruled that the National Election Committee’s (NEC) decision to prevent the opposition from standing in the July election was valid.
The party was disqualified from the upcoming election over a registration technicality.
According to Reuters, the nine-member council said the election committee’s disqualification of the party was constitutional.
“On a legal basis, we looked at the facts,” the council’s deputy secretary-general, Prom Vicheth Akara said.
“The NEC decision has complied with the constitution,” he added, saying there were 18 other political parties that had successfully registered for the election.
Candlelight Party chief Teav Vannol said after the ruling; “I think that democracy in Cambodia is dead. Democracy is dead in Cambodia. That’s how I feel.”
Candlelight Party leaders will meet to decide their next steps, he said, adding that protests might be considered.
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