Cambodia-style democracy: Three days after his party regained all seats in parliament, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that he was handing power over to his son.
Sen, 70, has ruled Cambodia for 38 years, one of the world's oldest rulers, and his rule has become increasingly authoritarian. His son, Hun Manet, was named heir in 2021, but until now it was not known that the plan would take shape or when it would materialize.
Manet, educated at the U.S. Army Academy at West Point, is commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Army.
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"I would like to ask the nation to understand my retirement," the retiring prime minister said in a special broadcast. However, Sen will retain his position as chairman of the Cambodian People's Party.
Cambodians watch the Prime Minister's resignation announcement, Photo: AFP
Cambodia's election became a joke after the main opposition party was disqualified, while the remaining 17 candidates were straw parties or too minor to pose any threat to the party in power.
When asked if he expected his son to govern in a different way, Hun Sen responded with a laugh. "In what way? Any deviation means harming peace and destroying the achievements of the older generation."
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