# 2018 Cambodian Senate election

Senate elections were held in Cambodia on 25 February 2018 after being postponed from 14 January 2018. For the first time, the Senate and parliamentary elections occurred in the same year. The result was a victory for the CPP, which won all 58 seats. King Norodom Sihamoni nominated Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Oum Somanin to the Senate.

## Background

On 11 February 2017, Rainsy resigned as President of the CNRP, and was succeeded by Sokha. On 3 September, Sokha was arrested and charged with treason, raising questions about the party's future. Another act of repression by the government was the closure of the Cambodia Daily newspaper. On 16 November 2017, the CNRP was forcibly dissolved, eliminating any real challenge to the long-ruling CPP. Its seats in parliament were distributed to three other parties. The CNRP was dissolved and revoked the voting rights of its commune councilors and parliamentarians, leading to the arrest of Kem Sokha, a leader of the CNRP, who was arrested on charges of conspiring to overthrow the government with the help of the US. The US and Khem Sokha have both denied the allegations.

## Electoral system

The Senate of Cambodia is elected every 6 years by an indirect party-list proportional representation through 8 multi members constituencies (regions), with the Communal Chiefs, Communal Councilors, Members of the National Assembly.
| Regions | Seats |
| Region 1 | 6 |
| Region 2 | 8 |
| Region 3 | 5 |
| Region 4 | 10 |
| Region 5 | 7 |
| Region 6 | 7 |
| Region 7 | 9 |
| Region 8 | 6 |
| Regions | Provinces |
| Region 1 | Phnom Penh |
| Region 2 | Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum |
| Region 3 | Kandal |
| Region 4 | Banteay Meachey, Battambang, Siem Reap, Pailin, Oddar Meanchey |
| Region 5 | Kampot, Kep, Takeo |
| Region 6 | Prey Veng, Svay Rieng |
| Region 7 | Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, Pursat |
| Region 8 | Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Kratie, Strung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri |

## Conduct

According to the National Election Committee (NEC), three political parties running in next week's Senate election have done virtually little campaigning, which NGOs attribute to the dissolution of the main opposition party. The Cambodian Youth Party, the Khmer National United Party, and FUNCIPEC are these parties. Sotheara Yoeurng, legal and monitoring officer of the Cambodian Committee for Free and Fair Elections, claimed the three parties were scarcely campaigning owing to the dissolution of the CNRP. Prior to the next Senate election on February 25, the NEC has prohibited all political parties from campaigning on nine key boulevards in Phnom Penh.
The Ballot was arranged in the order of the following:
| Ballot Numbers | Parties |
| 1) | CPP |
| 2) | CYP |
| 3) | KNUP |
| 4) | FUNCINPEC |

## Results

| | Cambodian People's Party | 11,202 | 96.05 | 58 | +12 |
| | FUNCINPEC | 276 | 2.37 | 0 | New |
| | Khmer National United Party | 182 | 1.56 | 0 | New |
| | Cambodian Youth Party | 3 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| Members appointed by National Assembly | Members appointed by National Assembly | | | 2 | 0 |
| Members appointed by Monarch | Members appointed by Monarch | | | 2 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 11,663 | 100.00 | 62 | +1 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 11,663 | 99.94 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 7 | 0.06 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 11,670 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 11,695 | 99.79 | | |
| Source: Khmer Times ||||||

### Results by region

| Province | CPP | CPP | CPP | FUNCINPEC | FUNCINPEC | FUNCINPEC | KNUP | KNUP | KNUP | CYP | CYP | CYP | Total |
| Province | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total |
| Region 1 | 897 | 98.57% | 6 | 11 | 1.21% | 0 | 2 | 0.22% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 910 |
| Region 2 | 1,305 | 95.33% | 8 | 45 | 3.29% | 0 | 16 | 1.17% | 0 | 3 | 0.22% | 0 | 1,369 |
| Region 3 | 871 | 94.37% | 5 | 44 | 4.77% | 0 | 8 | 0.87% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 923 |
| Region 4 | 2,054 | 92.77% | 10 | 81 | 3.66% | 0 | 79 | 3.57% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 2,214 |
| Region 5 | 1,324 | 98.95% | 7 | 14 | 1.05% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1,338 |
| Region 6 | 1,395 | 97.83% | 7 | 18 | 1.26% | 0 | 13 | 0.91% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1,426 |
| Region 7 | 1,682 | 97.23% | 9 | 32 | 1.85% | 0 | 16 | 0.92% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1,730 |
| Region 8 | 1,674 | 95.49% | 6 | 47 | 2.68% | 0 | 32 | 1.83% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1,753 |
| Source: NEC ||||||||||||||

### Elected Senators

| Party | Name |
| (Nominated by King) | Norodom Arunrasmey |
| (Nominated by King) | Oum Somanin |
| FUNCINPEC | Chea Chantevy |
| FUNCINPEC | Suon Mean |
| Cambodian People's Party | Soeuy Keo |
| Cambodian People's Party | Mom Chim Huy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ty Borasy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Thong Chan |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ouk Bunchhoeun |
| Cambodian People's Party | Suon Lon |
| Cambodian People's Party | Yong Sem |
| Cambodian People's Party | Lao Meng Khin |
| Cambodian People's Party | Sok Yat |
| Cambodian People's Party | Say Chhum |
| Cambodian People's Party | Sok Eysan |
| Cambodian People's Party | Tep Ngorn |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chan Nareth |
| Cambodian People's Party | Nam Toum |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chhit Kimyeat |
| Cambodian People's Party | Kong Sarath |
| Cambodian People's Party | Lay Piseth |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chea Cheth |
| Cambodian People's Party | Sim Ka |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ney Pena |
| Cambodian People's Party | Kun Net |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ok Kong |
| Cambodian People's Party | Seng Siphy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ok Kong |
| Cambodian People's Party | Pol Lim |
| Cambodian People's Party | Men Chhoeun |
| Cambodian People's Party | An Sum |
| Cambodian People's Party | Hem Khorn |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chung Kimsran |
| Cambodian People's Party | Khieu Muth |
| Cambodian People's Party | Muong Poy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Tim Phan |
| Cambodian People's Party | Choung Veng |
| Cambodian People's Party | Lan Chhorn |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chuan Leng |
| Cambodian People's Party | |
| Cambodian People's Party | Men Siphan |
| Cambodian People's Party | O Sokhom |
| Cambodian People's Party | Kok An |
| Cambodian People's Party | Mong Rithy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Prak Chamroeun |
| Cambodian People's Party | Nhem Samorn |
| Cambodian People's Party | |
| Cambodian People's Party | Kim Thea |
| Cambodian People's Party | Say Borin |
| Cambodian People's Party | Srey Ben |
| Cambodian People's Party | Sam An |
| Cambodian People's Party | |
| Cambodian People's Party | Mam Bunheang |
| Cambodian People's Party | Si Vanath |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chim Lav |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ly Yong Phat |
| Cambodian People's Party | Tep Yuthy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chheuy Channa |
| Cambodian People's Party | Ly Sary |
| Cambodian People's Party | Chhay Vanna |
| Cambodian People's Party | Khuon Khundy |
| Cambodian People's Party | Heng Bora |

## Reactions
### FUNCINPEC

Nhep Bunchin, spokesman for FUNCINPEC, stated the official results did not differ from the preliminary results and that party still supports the election outcome.

### Cambodian Youth Party

The CYP's President Pich Sros supported the statement made by FUNCINPEC and stated, "I don't think there was anything wrong with the election".

### Khmer National United Party

Run Meatra the spokesman for the party stated, that the party supports the outcome of the election that it was free and fair.

## Aftermath

After the election which saw CPP hold all 58 elected seats, the King nominated Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Oum Somanin to the Senate and the National Assembly elected two FUNCIPEC members to the Senate, bringing the 62-member legislative body dominated by the ruling Cambodian People's Party to a close.