Cambodia's ruling party claims victory in Senate election

PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) -- The ruling Cambodian People's Party said it captured 55 of the 58 seats contested in Sunday's Senate election, saying the result was better than expected, citing preliminary unofficial results.

The other three seats were likely won by the Khmer Will Party, an opposition party affiliated with the disqualified main opposition Candlelight Party, the party said. Official results are expected to be announced by April.    

Former Prime Minister Hun Sen is running with the ruling party of the government, currently led by his eldest son, Hun Manet. Hun Sen is all but assured of winning his seat and securing the top post in the upper house, according to the results.    

The CPP and three other parties had fielded candidates in the election, where the 125 members of the National Assembly and 11,622 local councilors cast their ballots.

Hun Sen is expected to be voted in as Senate president, a position that serves as acting head of state when the king is absent from the country.    

Hun Sen resigned as prime minister last August after a 38-year rule, and his son succeeded him in a de facto hereditary power transfer. Hun Sen still serves as head of the CPP, which controls 120 of the National Assembly's 125 seats after a one-sided general election last July, with the Candlelight Party barred from participating.    

In the previous Senate election in 2018, the CPP won all of the 58 seats as no opposition party took part, following the government-engineered dissolution of the country's then-main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party.    

Senate members serve six-year terms, while the more powerful National Assembly holds elections every five years. Out of the 62-member Senate, two seats will be filled by appointees of the king and two by the lower house.