Official Results Give CPP 75% of Council Election Vote

The National Election Committee released the official results of Cambodia’s first-ever provincial, municipal and district council elections Wednesday. According to the official results, the ruling CPP dominated the proceedings, picking up 8,545 votes- about 75 percent of the total vote- at the provincial and municipal level, while the SRP finished in distant second with 2,317 votes, Funcinpec clinched only 236 votes and the Norodom Ranariddh Party even fewer at 231 votes. Out of the total 374 provincial councilors elected, the CPP swept the board, acquiring 302 of the positions, with women candidates making up just 9.9 percent of all provincial councilors. The SRP fared best in Phnom Penh, where it picked up 7 of the 21 available capital seats with the rest going to the CPP. At the district level, the CPP picked up 8,473 votes of the total 11,331 votes cast. The SRP mustered 2,332 votes with the NRP garnering a meager 264 and Funcinpec 262 votes. The results meant that the CPP picked up every single one of the 193 chief district councilor positions available. The CPP has a total of 2,249 district councilors, with the SRP registering just 518. Funcinpec has 55 and the NRP 39. According to the results, just 12.5 percent of all district councilors are women. (Cambodia Daily, May 28, 2009)

Four Parties Contest Up Coming Sub National Elections

Secretary General of the National Election Committee (NEC) Mr. TEP Nitha has told the press on Sunday that only the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), FUNCINPEC Party, Norodom Ranariddh Party and Sam Rainsy Party have proposed to stand for offices in the upcoming May Sub-National Administration Elections. Through these elections the Commune and Sangkat Councilors throughout the country will elect their party’s members for the councils in the district and provincial level. The 11,353 commune and Sangkat Councilors will elect about 3,235 representatives. The CPP holds 7,993 seats, Sam Rainsy 2,660 seats, FUNCINPEC 274 seats and Norodom Ranariddh 424 seats within commune and sangkat councils. The Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) predicted that the CPP will be receiving 2,436 seats within the sub-national councils which is more than 75% of the total seats and Sam Rainsy Party will be receiving 689 seats, Norodom Ranariddh 60 seats and FUNCINPEC 44 seats.

Sources: Everyday.com.kh (02-03-2009)

Phnom Penh Capital City

Phnom Penh the Capital City of the Kingdom of Cambodia consists of 08 Khans (district in the capital city). Previously, there were 7 only. The newest khan is Sen Sok, a least developed area of Phnom Penh where the people from the former slums in the center of the capital are residing.

These are the numbers of the board of governors in each khan of Phnom Penh Capital City

1- Khan Dangkor: 5
2- Khan Meanchey: 5
3- Khan Chamkarmorn: 5
4- Khan Tuol Kork: 5
5- Khan Russey Keo: 5
6- Khan Daun Penh: 5
7- Khan 7 Makara: 5
8- Khan Sen Sok: 5

The numbers of the council in each khan administration in Phnom Penh have been decided as follow (by Sub-Degree No. 18 ANK/BK dated January 12, 2009)

1- Khan Dangkor: 19
2- Khan Meanchey: 19
3- Khan Chamkarmorn: 19
4- Khan Tuol Kork: 19
5- Khan Russey Keo: 19
6- Khan Daun Penh: 17
7- Khan 7 Makara: 17
8- Khan Sen Sok: 17

There are 21 councilors in the Phnom Penh Capital Council.

New Administration Structure in Cambodia

According to the Organic Law promulgated by the Royal Degree No. NS/RKM/0508/017 dated May 24, 2008, the administration structures in Cambodia have been reorganised. Now Cambodia has autonomous Capital City, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts and Khans. Those are called "The Sub-National Administrations". Each administratio managed by a council as legislative body and a board of governors as executive body. The council members are to be elected indirectly and the board of governors are to be nominated by the national governement.

Cambodian Government has issued a sub-degree No. 26 ANKR-BK dated January 29, 2009 to limit the board of governors for the Capital City, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts and Khans.

Follows are the list of the board of governors of those sub-national administrations decided by the head of the Royal Government of Cambodia:

Article 1- To limit the number of Board of Governors of Capital Phnom Penh and every province in accordance with article 140 of the Law on Administrative Management of Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts and Khans as follows:

1- Capital City Phnom Penh: 7
2- Kampong Cham Province: 7
3- Kandal Province: 7
4- Battambang Province: 7
5- Prey Veng Province: 7
6- Siem Reap Province: 7
7- Takeo Province: 7

8- Banteay Meanchey Province: 6
9- Kampong Speu Province: 6
10- Kampong Thom Province: 6
11- Kampong Chhnang Province: 6
12- Kampot Province: 6
13- Svay Rieng Province: 6
14- Pursat Province: 6
15- Kratie Province: 6
16- Preah SiHanouk Province: 6

17- Preah Vihear Province: 5
18- Rattanakkiri Province: 5
19- Koh Kong Province: 5
20- Stung Treng Province: 5
21- Udor Meanchey Province: 5
22- Mondulkiri Province: 5
23- Kep Province: 5
24- Pailin Province: 5

Article 2- To limit the number of Board of Governors of municiplaities, districts and khans in accordance with the Law on Administrative Management of Capital, Provinces, Municipalities, Districts and Khans.

With the new arrangement, Cambodia has 1 Capital City, 23 provinces, 26 municipalities, 159 districts and 8 khans. The communes and sangkat remain the same in number -1621 communes and sangkats. The sangkats have been recently increased due to the changes of the status of the district in the provincial capital from district to municipality, therefore the previous communes have also been changed to sangkats.