Cambodia’s Hun Sen tells opposition to ‘wait for the next life’, says ruling party will dominate politics for up to 100 years
- Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has been in power since 1979 and holds every seat in the 125-member legislature after the main opposition was dissolved
- Its newly built US$30 million headquarters in Phnom Penh is a sign that the party would lead national politics for ‘the next 50 years, 100 years’, he said
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday his ruling party would be a dominant force in politics for as long as a century, telling the opposition it should wait until the next life if it wants to take power.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which has been in power since 1979, holds every seat in the 125-member legislature after the main opposition was dissolved ahead of a 2018 general election, accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
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“Who has the capability to replace Hun Sen right now? Let’s be honest and come out,” he said. “There is no one,” he said after inspecting the construction of a new provincial airport.
The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was disbanded and 118 members banned for five years in 2017 as part of a broad crackdown on the opposition, civil society and the media ahead of the 2018 election.
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Hun Sen on Monday said that the CPP’s newly built US$30 million headquarters in Phnom Penh and its provincial office were signs that the party would lead national politics for a long time to come.
“They are not for two to three years but for the next 50 years, 100 years, you have to remember,” Hun Sen added.