Cambodia’s long-term Prime Minister Hun Sen is stepping down from office after almost 40 years in power and handing over to his son.
In about three weeks, his eldest son, Gen. Hun Manet, is to be appointed as the new prime minister, the leader said in a televised speech on Wednesday.
He did not provide an exact date.
However, Hun Sen said he would remain as head of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and become Senate president in 2024.
Hun Sen, one of the longest-serving heads of government worldwide, secured his hold on power in Sunday’s parliamentary election as expected.
Preliminary results suggest the CPP will win at least 120 seats in the 125-member National Assembly.
However, Hun Sen had no competition to fear thanks to massive repression in the run-up to the election.
The only opposition party with a real chance, the Candlelight Party, was not allowed to participate in the vote.
The Constitutional Court banned its admission in May because of an alleged technical error in the registration process.
Numerous party members have been detained, and others have fled abroad.
Hun Sen once fought for the brutal Khmer Rouge under dictator Pol Pot and later defected to serve in the government following the Vietnamese invasion and occupation of Cambodia.
His government is supported by China, which has invested heavily in Cambodia.
For years, Hun Sen has been building up his eldest son as his successor.
dpa/NAN
