In a significant political transition, Hun Sen stepped aside as Prime Minister of Cambodia in 2023, paving the way for his son, Hun Manet, to take over leadership of the country. Hun Sen’s exit ends one of the most remarkable 38-year holds on power in modern history. Over the course of these decades, he became one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. Realpolitik Though his touch has been authoritarian, Hun Sen’s leadership in the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has taken firm control over Cambodia since 1979. This peace came on the heels of Vietnamese forces’ expulsion of the Khmer Rouge.
Now that Hun Sen has finally resigned, with his departure a generation of Cambodian politics has ended. The CPP has effectively united its power and repressed opposition. The party has made the pivotal mistake of tying itself too close to China. It has further systematically driven a free press from the country and scared civil society organizations into their graves. The shadow of the Khmer Rouge era continues to serve as an excuse to legitimize the CPP’s nearly three-decade rule. The party’s extreme opposition to a democratic transfer of power in 1993 creates lasting questions among political commentators and activists.
The Legacy of Hun Sen and the CPP
Hun Sen ascended to power for the first time in 1985. Second, he led the CPP at a time when Cambodia remained constrained, both politically and economically. In early 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and overthrew the Khmer Rouge. This resulted in the establishment of a Vietnamese-backed regime that dominated the political landscape until 1989. Since then, Hun Sen and his family have maintained a stranglehold over power in the country. They have reversed regulations that ensured policies prioritize stability even when doing so endangers democratic freedoms.
The CPP justifies its authority by positioning itself as the protector of Cambodia. It centers its storytelling on the Khmer Rouge’s atrocities to further reinforce this facade. This narrative has allowed the party to secure electoral victories, including winning all seats in the 2018 national elections and almost all but five seats in the 2023 elections. Critics counter that these victories have occurred against a backdrop of significant suppression of opposition and dissent.
“The failure of the transfer of power in 1993 and the deal the King made at the time … was a bad deal. And the UN went along because the UN wanted to close shop,” – Mu Sochua
The legacies of Cambodian political history still loom large in influencing attitudes of the public. Those who criticize the CPP’s story line counter that arguments for democratic deliberation never really had a chance. Consequently, voters across the country are frustrated and disappointed with the political status quo.
The Road Ahead for Hun Manet
As Hun Manet takes on his new role as Prime Minister, he inherits a deeply entrenched political landscape dominated by his father’s legacy. Many advocates view this transition as an opportunity to address that inequity. The optimism of these reformers is not shared by all.
Political analysts agree that Hun Manet will have a difficult task establishing his own authority as he steps out of his father’s shadow. The CPP’s legacy of opposition to democratic reform makes it hard even for well-intentioned actors to create a political culture where change is possible.
“It will be an uphill struggle for the fractured political opposition to thrive – not to mention to organise among themselves and, let alone, have the hope of winning a general election,” – Aun Chhengpor
Given these hurdles, it remains to be seen whether the CPP will reward the positive aspects of a multiparty system. This points to a more complicated picture in which constrained democracy might still be achievable, though not without significant caveats and only at the party’s own doing.
“However, there are indications that the CPP still somehow believes in the multiparty system and limited democracy in the way that they can have a say on when and how much democracy,” – Aun Chhengpor
Social Dynamics and Political Stability
The Cambodian people have cultivated a nuanced and complicated relationship with their ruling party. Tired and pragmatically uninterested, many of the CPP’s citizens appear willing to embrace the CPP’s hegemony for the price of ongoing stability and economic growth. This unstated social compact seems to serve the party by disempowering calls for more civic engagement and political accountability.
“There seems to be an unwritten social contract between the ruling establishment and the population that, as long as the CPP provides relative peace and a stable economy, the population will leave governance and politics to the CPP,” – Aun Chhengpor
Voices of dissent are still resonating in Cambodian society. As activists such as former Cambodian parliamentarian Mu Sochua have cautioned, without the space for genuine political contestation, peace is merely a veneer.
“If politics and the space for people to engage in politics is non-existent, what dominates then is not peace,” – Mu Sochua
As Cambodia reflects on its tumultuous past—including the scars left by decades of conflict—the challenge remains for both leaders and citizens to navigate their complex history while striving for a future that fosters true peace and democracy.
