CPP Noses Ahead as Poll Count Starts
- By Teng Yalirozy
- July 23, 2023 5:25 PM
PHNOM PENH – Counting has started in the seventh mandate general election, with Prime Minister Hun Sen reporting an 84 percent turnout.
National Election Committee spokesperson Hang Puthea said there had been no particular irregularity during the vote.
National television broadcast live results showing the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) taking an early lead in the July 23 poll. More than 9.7 million people registered to vote.
Preliminary results will be broadcast until midnight. The broadcast will continue at 8 am. The official result will be announced on August 9.
Eighteen parties are vying for 125 seats in the National Assembly.
“This election process has been smooth as the citizens felt comfortable to cast their votes at the polling stations,” Puthea said.
Some people tried to destroy ballot papers at booths, encouraged by some social media users.
However, those responsible had been identified, he said. Many national and international observers were present and had been seen waiting for their turn to go into the voting rooms.
CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan said the 2023s election had not been different from the previous mandate due to the momentum of the people, despite negative opinion around the election.
“People all over the country have a high political wake-up call,” he said. “In the morning, people came to the polling station, standing in an orderly manner. The process was smooth, fun and friendly.
“Cambodian citizens cast their votes according to their own will according to the procedures organized by NEC officials in each station.”
He said a high turnout was in response to opposition groups calling for a boycott.
“It proves that the Cambodian people respect and exercise their rights in accordance with the Constitution," he said, adding that the snide remarks of the opposition did not have any effect on the election.
In last year’s commune election, 7,394,427 people voted, or 80.32 percent of the 9.2 million registered voters. Valid ballots amounted to 7,237,037 and 157,390 were invalid. Seventeen parties took part in the commune elections but only nine won seats.
The general election in 2018 saw an 88 percent turnout with 20 parties taking part and the CPP winning a landslide victory.
