CNRP President Kem Sokha speaks at the parade of his party (Photo: VNA)Phnom Penh (VNA) – The campaign for the communalelections in Cambodia finished on June 2, two days ahead of the June 4elections.
There are 12 parties running for the elections,but the ruling Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) and the opposition CambodiaNational Rescue Party (CNRP) still stood out in the campaign, which began onMay 20.
On the last day of the campaign, CPP gathered upto 150,000 supporters in an eastern suburb of Phnom Penh, compared to about60,000 people on the first day. Meanwhile, CNRP mobilised some 50,000supporters in the west of the capital city on June 2, compared to 10,000 peopleon the opening day.
This was the first time since the elections in1998 that CPP President Hun Sen, who is also the Cambodian Prime Minister,joined supporters in a gathering and parade. He also delivered a speech to callfor their votes for CPP to maintain peace and development.
CNRP President Kem Sokha also attended hisparty’s gathering on June 2 and called for votes to change the leadership fromthe grassroots level.
This time’s communal elections take place amidmany political changes in Cambodia, especially after the 2013 generalelections, after which CPP held only 68 of the 123 seats in the NationalAssembly and the remaining belonged to CNRP.
CPP is forecast to gain a narrow victory in the2017 ward/commune elections while the opposition party is striving for the bestresult to prepare for the general elections next year.-VNA
VNA
