Prime Minister of Cambodia
The prime minister of Cambodia (, ) is the head of government of Cambodia. The prime minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet and leads the executive branch of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The prime minister is a member of parliament, and is appointed by the monarch for a term of five years. Since 1945, 36 individuals have served as prime minister; 32 as official prime ministers, and 4 in acting capacities. Hun Sen, of the Cambodian People's Party, has been the incumbent prime minister since 1985. He served from 1985 to 1993 and was  Second Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998 alongside Norodom Ranariddh (1993-97) and Ung Huot (1997-98). Elected as prime minister in his own right in 1998, he is the longest serving prime minister in Cambodian history. History. The position was first held by King Norodom Sihanouk in March 1945, during the French colonial administration. On 12 March 1945, Sihanouk collaborated with Imperial Japan and declared Cambodia's independence from France. On 18 March, he proclaimed himself prime minister and formed the first government which lasted until August 1945. He was succeeded by Son Ngoc Thanh until October 1945. Following  the surrender of Japan, the French administration returned, ending the Japanese occupation. In 1946, France introduced reforms into its colonies in Indochina, and allowed for the first time political parties and parliamentary elections. Cambodia's first parliamentary elections were held on 1 September 1946. The Democratic Party remained the dominant-party in Cambodian politics throughout the 1940s until the formation of the Sangkum in 1955. Sangkum was the only legal party in Cambodia from 1955 to 1970 until a military coup by Marshal Lon Nol. In 1993, constitutional monarchy was restored in Cambodia. The role of the prime minister was  officially recognised in the constitution. Prince Norodom Ranariddh was considered the first democratically elected prime minister in a United Nations sponsored election. The CPP–FUNCINPEC coalition agreement of 1993 marked a brief period in Cambodia where Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh were coequal Prime Ministers. In 1997, Hun Sen staged a coup that removed Ranariddh from office. The National Assembly voted to confirm Ung Huot to complete the remainder of Ranariddh's term. The 1998 election and every election since has been dominated by Hun Sen and the CPP. Appointment. The prime minister is required to be a member  of parliament. He first needs to be elected by a majority of parliament before a swearing-in ceremony can take place. The inauguration of the prime minister takes place at the Royal Palace. The prime minister-designate takes an oath of office in front of the monarch and the two heads of the Thammayut and Mohanikay order. A cabinet will then be unveiled. The formation of a new government takes place no more than 60 days after the election, as defined in the constitution. The prime minister is assisted by deputy prime ministers. Article 125 of the Constitution states that  should the prime minister resign or die in office, an acting prime minister is appointed. Office. The Peace Palace serves as the principal workplace of the prime minister. It was inaugurated on 19 October 2010 by the King. However, the prime minister resides at his own private residence. Constitutional powers. The powers of the Prime Minister are established by the current Constitution of Cambodia, adopted on 24 September 1993 and amended on 4 March 1999. They are defined by the following articles of the Constitution: Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia. The Deputy Prime Minister (, ) serves as the deputy to the  Prime Minister of Cambodia and is the second highest position in the Cabinet. As of September 2018, there are 10 deputy prime ministers. List of prime ministers (1993–present). Living former prime ministers. As of 2022, there are only two living former prime ministers, shown in order of service. The most recent death of a former prime minister was that of Norodom Ranariddh on 28 November 2021, aged 77.