Cambodia's ruling party projected to win landslide victory in general elections

Cambodia's ruling party is projected to win a landslide victory in the general elections. The Cambodian People's Party, led by long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen, and 19 other parties contested the elections yesterday. 

With votes still being tallied, Cambodian People's Party (CPP) spokesman Sok Eysan said they expect to win over 100 seats in the 125-seat Parliament, citing preliminary figures from the National Election Committee. He said the CPP will get more than 80 per cent of the popular vote. The country's election



commission says its interim vote-counting shows the ruling party to have gained at least 70 percent of votes in most provinces.

The largest opposition group, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, was unable to take part in the election. Its leader was arrested last year on suspicion of treason, and Supreme Court ordered the party to disband.

Sixty-five year old Hun Sen, a one-time defector from the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, is ruling the country since in 1985.