Candlelight Leaders Keep Looking for Election Registration
A Candlelight Party's meeting on May 28 presided over by Teav Vannol, the party's president. Photo: Candlelight Party
- By Phoung Vantha
- May 29, 2023 7:00 PM
PHNOM PENH – The Candlelight Party (CP) has decided to continue to explore ways to be legally registered for the July 23 general election, a representative said, adding that the party is also getting ready for the 2028 ballot.
“The party leaders decided on May 28 to give lawyers the right to continue legal representation to requesting the party's original document at the Ministry of Interior”, CP’s Spokesperson Kimsour Phirith said.
“We will fight legally to the best of our ability. We are a legitimate party and it is not difficult to just issue a proclamation or a certificate that can be used [with] the National Election Committee,” he added.
Such certificates could either be the original Prakas on the party registration, a new Prakas on the party registration, or another document with an equal value, he added.
Cambodia’s main opposition party was barred from participating in the upcoming election after it failed to provide the National Election Committee (NEC) with the original document of its registration with the Ministry of Interior.
The document dates back to 1998 when the party was called the Sam Rainsy Party. Candlelight’s original registration papers were lost following a raid on the party’s headquarters in 2017.
Despite the fact the official deadline to be registered with the NEC was on May 8, the party’s leaders still hope to reach an agreement that could allow them to participate in the ballot, if only they can provide the required documentation.
If not, they still want to get proper registration as soon as possible, with the next general election in sight, in 2028, Phirith said.
On several occasions, CP’s leaders requested the Ministry of Interior to provide them with the original documentation of the party’s registration so that they can properly register with the NEC.
Spokesperson Kimsour Phirith said he attended two meetings between the party and representatives of the Interior Ministry.
However, following the meetings, the ministry only issued a letter stating that the Candlelight Party was registered with the Ministry of Interior in accordance with the law.
Such a document appeared not to comply with the NEC’s request to provide an original document, which led to the party’s application being rejected on May 15.
By law, the only legal recourse was to appeal that decision to the Constitutional Council, which upheld the NEC’s stance on May 25.
The Interior Ministry’s letter was issued and signed by the ministry’s Secretary of State Bun Honn, on behalf of Interior Minister Sar Kheng. Bun Honn could not be reached for comments to clarify why the ministry could not hand the original proclamation to the CP.
NEC Spokesperson Hang Puthea said that the NEC will not change the registration procedure for the next general ballot, pointing out that the original prakas issued by the Interior Ministry will remain mandatory.
Without such a document, the future of Candlelight Party as Cambodia’s main opposition force is getting darker, unless the party’s leaders start a new political movement or merge with another existing party.
But these options “are not yet considered”, said Phirith who recalled the party has more than 2 million supporters and gathered 22 percent of the votes in the 2022 commune elections.
