The Lonely Candidates

Listen to Today's Edition:

Cambodian election officials barred the country’s main opposition party from participating in upcoming elections in July, a move that critics said could guarantee a clear win for the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Radio Free Asia reported.

The National Election Committee rejected the Candlelight Party’s application to register in the upcoming polls, citing problems with the party’s paperwork.

The opposition lamented that the decision was “politically motivated” and will try to appeal to the Constitutional Council, a judicial body that examines election disputes.

Candlelight Party officials added that they were surprised at the committee’s move because the party did not encounter any challenges when it competed in last year’s local elections.

Still, the decision could impact the outcome of the July 23 parliamentary vote, with Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) facing no clear challenger.

The Candlelight Party has gained support by vowing to improve social welfare benefits, including providing free check-ups, as well as increasing the minimum monthly wage for garment workers and civil servants.

Analysts noted that the committee’s decision is similar to what happened with the previous main opposition party in the run-up to the 2018 elections.

At the time, the Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, paving the way for the CPP to win all 125 seats in parliament.