Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has made a surprising announcement that he will step down in August and pass on his power to his oldest son, Hun Manet. This move comes after Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won a landslide victory in recent elections. However, these elections were heavily criticized by Western countries and rights organizations, who deemed them neither free nor fair.
Hun Manet, a 45-year-old army chief and recent parliament seat winner, represents a significant generational shift in leadership. What’s interesting is that many of the younger lawmakers expected to take up ministerial positions were actually educated in the West. This change in leadership may bring about a different tone in governance, although major policy shifts are not expected.
Although Hun Sen is stepping down, he is set to retain significant control as the president of his party and president of the Senate. Under Hun Sen’s leadership, Cambodia has experienced significant development, making the transition from a low-income to lower middle-income country. However, the country still faces challenges such as increasing wealth inequality, deforestation, and land grabbing by both allies and foreign investors of the prime minister.
Another concerning aspect in Cambodia’s political landscape is the lack of political and civic space for the opposition, civil society, and media. The opposition party was dissolved ahead of the recent election, earning criticism from international bodies such as the European Union and the United States, who also deemed the elections as neither free nor fair.
Despite the dynastic nature of this succession, many Cambodians view Hun Manet as qualified to take over from his father. Only time will tell if this new generation of leaders will bring about any significant changes in Cambodia’s political landscape. For now, the country remains eager to see what the future holds with Hun Manet at the helm.
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