Parliament of Cambodia Approves Hun Sen’s Son Hun Manet as New Prime Minister
The Parliament of Cambodia has granted approval to Hun Manet, the son of longtime autocratic leader Hun Sen, as the country’s new prime minister. This move marks a generational shift in top leadership positions within the Southeast Asian nation.
Hun Manet, aged 45, secured his first seat in the National Assembly during the July elections. He succeeds his father, who held the distinction of being Asia’s longest-serving leader. With nearly four decades in power, including a tenure as Cambodia’s army chief.
Manet’s appointment received unanimous approval from lawmakers, and he is scheduled to be officially sworn in later today.
While Hun Manet heads a cabinet comprised of approximately 75% new faces. It is worth noting that many of these newcomers are either children or have familial connections to their predecessors. Experts caution against anticipating sweeping changes in a country where human rights have faced challenges, and dissent has been suppressed.
Astrid Norén-Nilsson, a Cambodia expert at Sweden’s Lund University, commented, “There is not a big difference between the generations in political outlook. Including in terms of how open or how competitive politics should be. The generational transition is designed to keep the power of the political-cum-business elite intact and perpetuate neo-patrimonial arrangements.”
In a move that had been widely anticipated, Hun Sen had previously announced that his eldest son, Hun Manet, would succeed him as prime minister. Shortly after their Cambodian People’s Party secured a landslide victory in the July elections. However, these elections were criticized by Western governments and rights groups as neither free nor fair. Mainly because the main credible opposition party was barred from participating.
The new Cabinet under Hun Manet’s leadership includes Tea Seiha, who is set to replace his father. Tea Banh, as the Minister of National Defense, and Sar Sokha, who will succeed his father, Sar Kheng, as the Minister of the Interior. Both are also slated to serve as deputy prime ministers.
As Cambodia ushers in this generational shift in leadership, the international community will closely watch for any developments and potential changes in the nation’s political landscape, particularly with regard to human rights and governance.