Phnom Penh, Sep 8 (IANS) Cambodia’s long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen’s party won an absolute majority in the July parliamentary elections, according to official results released Sunday.
The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) got 68 seats and the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) of long-time opposition leader Sam Rainsy took the remaining 55 seats, Xinhua cited the National Election Committee as saying.
With the victory, 61-year-old Hun Sen, who has ruled the country for 28 years, will extend his power for another five years.
However, the opposition rejected the results, claiming irregularities during the poll.
It said the party should win 63 seats, with the CPP getting 60 seats if alleged poll irregularities were fairly resolved.
On Saturday, 20,000 opposition supporters held a non-violent protest in the capital to reject the election results.
“We will not recognise the election results if an independent committee is not formed to investigate alleged poll irregularities,” Sam Rainsy said.
“We are seeking justice for vote owners. No justice, no peace.”
He appealed to the country’s King Norodom Sihamoni to help mediate a top leaders’ meeting between the two parties in order to find a peaceful solution to the contested election results.
