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The Interior Ministry has issued a long directive, including requiring political parties to provide written notification to local authorities regarding meetings and coordination of legal processes to ensure the electoral process is conducted in a free and fair manner, with the Commune and National elections around the corner.
According to an announcement dated October 14, 2026, instructions have been issued to capital and provincial authorities as well as political parties concerning the opening of party offices, display of party signages, party meetings, party registrations, and registration of candidates for election, and political party agents.
Among the guidelines issued is the prohibition of different political parties from establishing their headquarters or branch offices adjacent to each other.
The ministry has also released a list of 59 registered political parties that intend to participate in the sixth mandate Commune/Sangkat Council elections and the eighth legislature National elections scheduled for 2027–2028.
In order to ensure the electoral process is conducted in a free, proper, and fair manner—consistent with democratic principles and relevant laws—the ministry requested governors of the capital and provinces to facilitate the activities of the political parties.
CamboJA News contacted Touch Sokhak, a deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, several times to obtain further information but he did not pick up the phone or respond to questions sent via Telegram, although he had seen them.
Meanwhile, Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) spokesperson Chea Thyith described the directive as an “important message”, adding that his party always complies with such instructions.
Sok Kimseng, Vice President of the Nation Power Party (NPP), urged the ministry to ensure that local authorities apply the legal principles equitably.
“I urge the Ministry of Interior to further encourage local authorities to adhere to legal principles—meaning that once a directive is issued, implementation must be applied equally.”
Kong Monika, Secretary-General of the Khmer Will Party, opined that the directive is “not sufficient to guarantee” that the upcoming election will be free and fair, so long as political activists continue to face intimidation and harassment.
Meach Sovannara, President of the New Generation Party (NGP), urges local authorities to follow the instructions and to remain impartial.
On October 19, the National Election Committee (NEC) issued a statement urging relevant authorities, political parties, and election observers to fulfill their respective roles and duties.
The objective is to encourage citizens to update their data, specifically by having their photographs retaken and fingerprints re-recorded by voter registration teams stationed in villages and communes.
NEC’s appeal follows a moderate turnout rate for data updates among those already on the voter list, a level that has yet to meet the established targets.
According to the NEC, the target group for these data updates consists of individuals who registered to vote in 2016 and 2017, as well as voters who received an invitation letter from the NEC.
Opening of political party headquarters, branches
According to the ministry, political parties are not permitted to set up headquarters or branch offices in the same location as, or immediately adjacent to, the headquarters or branch offices of other political parties.
The rationale is to foster a better environment for political parties to fully carry out their missions in accordance with democratic principles, while also ensuring security and public order.
Regarding this prohibition, Kong Monika, Secretary-General of Khmer Will Party (KWP), suggested that it likely targeted his party and Candlelight Party as their headquarters are located next to each other. But, he believes that the ministry requirement would have “no bearing on ensuring free and fair elections”.
“It [only] places an additional burden on non-ruling political parties [as] such a requirement does not guarantee free and fair elections.”
CPP’s Thyrith said that the requirement serves a common interest in fostering an amenable political environment, whereas Kimseng of the NPP asserted that there has “never been any prohibition against establishing party offices next to each other”.
Similarly, Sovannara from NGP questioned the location of “many” CPP offices near commune halls, police posts and health centers, viewing them as a form of “indirect intimidation”. He proposed that party offices should not be located near state facilities.
“To avoid fear or any form of indirect intimidation, I would also make a request: political parties should not be located near commune offices, police posts, or health centers. There should be a clear separation. Let us just establish a single, uniform standard regarding these prohibitions.”
Erection of party signage
Another instruction from the ministry is for authorities to remove illegally-erected political party signs in public spaces, populated areas or along public roads, as it could negatively impact security, public order, social safety and public aesthetics. The signs should not bear a name or symbol that is different from its registration with the ministry as it could cause confusion among the public.
NPP’s Kimseng stated that the implementation of guidelines for non-ruling political parties have been limited, noting that most authorities are members of the ruling party, thus urging the ministry to examine this issue.
“A challenge we have faced in the past is that even after a property owner has given their consent [to place signage], authorities conduct intrusive, in-depth questioning, which creates fear. This is the specific issue I am raising; I am requesting that once a property owner has agreed, the authorities should refrain from further, extensive questioning.”
He added that authorities seldom grant permission for non-ruling political parties to display their party signs in public spaces.
Meanwhile, KWP’s Monika claimed that authorities have approached residents who displayed party signs at their homes and compelled them to sign agreements—actions that have left these individuals fearful of participating with a political party.
In the same vein, Sovannara mentioned that the display of party signs is frequently met with allegations, such as procedural violations, failure to submit a formal request, or the disruption of public order, which he viewed as being motivated by political reasons.
Previously, several political parties complained that their requests to display party signboards in public spaces were rejected by authorities for various reasons—even as they observed that the CPP’s paraphernalia was permitted in the same locations.
At the end of July, NGP officials in Takeo province decided to file a complaint with the provincial court, the National Election Committee (NEC), and the provincial administration against the chief of Prambei Mum commune (in Treang district).
They alleged that the commune chief abused his power and engaged in intimidation, specifically by “locking the gate of the commune office”, trapping two party officials inside for 40 minutes, while they were attempting to submit a formal request to display a party signboard on July 26, 2026.
In another incident, the NPP in Battambang city accused local authorities of political discrimination late April 2026. This followed the rejection of their request to install a party signboard on the Sla Ket bridge—a site where numerous other party signboards were already displayed.
Regarding the restrictions on the installation of party signboards, NPP’s vice president, Kimseng, said that authorities in almost every province have made it difficult for them.
Political meetings or gatherings of party officials
For political meetings or gatherings of party officials held at private residences or premises, the consent of the owner of the residence or premises must be obtained, the ministry said.
Furthermore, the political party concerned must provide written notification of such meetings to the Commune or Sangkat administration although no prior authorization is required from the authorities, except in the case of political meetings held in public spaces. However, these meetings must not be used as a platform for election campaigning.
All political parties are prohibited from conducting public election campaigning prior to the official election campaign period, as determined by the NEC.
Regarding the requirement to provide notification for political meetings held on private premises, CPP’s Thyrith stated that his party has no objections, nor does it pose a problem.
“We fully comply with the directives of the Ministry of Interior; whatever the Ministry requires—under any given circumstances—we always follow it. Therefore, we will comply with the notification requirement; there are no objections, and it is not an issue at all.”
He added that providing such notification to the authorities serves to ensure the maintenance of public order and the protection of safety or security—matters that fall under the purview of local authorities.
‘Always come and listen’
NPP’s Kimseng recalled that in the past, political meetings or gatherings of party officials were held at private residences or other private locations that did not require notification to the authorities. “But this time, notification is required.”
Kimseng continued: “It is a restriction because the authorities are representatives of the party and they discriminate. When political meetings are held in private places, the authorities have to be notified. But, the authorities always go and ask the owners of the houses, which [seems like] a threat.”
For Monika from KWP, the requirement only “creates difficulties” and “instills fear among citizens”.
“When there is a requirement to provide notification to the administrative authorities regarding gatherings, it would create challenges and cause people to feel scared.”
He said he had “no opinion” on the notification requirement because during actual meetings, whether the authorities are notified or not, they “always come to listen and take pictures”, regardless of it being held at the party office or a private place.
However, he noted that in the past, they would notify local authorities of public forums with large attendance at the party’s office or private venue. Conversely, for meetings involving only political activists, no such notification was provided, Monika said.
With regard to the matter, NEC spokesperson Hang Puthea stated at the present moment, the NEC is responsible for the review of the voters’ list and registration.
The NEC takes responsibility, and will make necessary arrangements to expand the scope of its operations during the election campaign period.
“From a legal perspective, the NEC holds responsibility during the election campaign period,” Puthea said. “Therefore, whatever the authorities at the commune/sangkat or provincial levels may say is a matter for those authorities themselves.”
Legalization of documents, issuance of certifications
Meanwhile, the ministry has instructed the Single Window service unit under sub-national administrations to facilitate the legalization of documents—specifically Prakas (ministerial regulations) regarding the registration of political parties with the ministry—free of charge.
Commune or sangkat administrations are tasked with facilitating and streamlining the issuance of various certifications for agents and candidates for the Commune/Sangkat Council elections and National Assembly (Member of Parliament) elections, which represent political parties that have been registered.
