Hun Sen, one of the longest-serving leaders in the world, on Wednesday announced that he will step down as the Prime Minister of Cambodia in three weeks and hand the position to his eldest son Hun Manet.
Hun Sen, 70, has been country’s prime minister since 1985.
The leader announced his resignation three days after his political party claimed victory in stage-managed parliamentary elections. In the speech, he announced that his 45-year-old oldest son, Gen. Hun Manet, would follow him, adding that since his son is also a politician, the succession would not be in violation of any National Assembly regulations.
However, Hun Sen said he will still be the head of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and a member of the national assembly. The CPP swept the recent general election on July 30, taking 82 per cent of the vote. Hun Sen said Hun Manet will be appointed on August 10.
Hun Sen, who has held power since 1985, said on Wednesday that his son would be confirmed as the new prime minister by Parliament on August 22.
According to the New York Times, his government has suppressed all meaningful opposition over the years by jailing dozens of critics and shuttering dissenting news media outlets, among other tactics.
In March, a prominent opposition leader, Kem Sokha, was sentenced to 27 years of house arrest on a treason charge and barred from running or voting in elections. Another opposition leader with a high profile, Sam Rainsy, currently lives in exile in France.
Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge fighter, has long maintained tight control of most of Cambodia’s institutions. In recent years he has used social media to reinforce his power.
