Hun Manet will become Cambodia’s new prime minister and key senior government ministers will step down from their positions after the national assembly convenes in August, Hun Sen stated on Wednesday.
King Norodom Sihamoni endorsed Hun Manet for prime minister, following a meeting Wednesday morning, Hun Sen said.
“I will not continue the position of prime minister,” Hun Sen said. “I will leave and not hold the Prime Minister’s office anymore starting from August 22, 2023.”
Hun Sen has held the prime minister position for more than 38 years.
Hun Manet will become the prime minister after the National Election Committee finalizes the voting results, which is currently scheduled for August 5. The National Assembly will hold its first session on August 21.
Hun Sen stated he would run to become senate president in February when senate elections are held.
“Following the party’s plans, I will be the president of the Senate to replace Samdech Say Chhum who is too old [at 78-years-old] to take a break,” said Hun Sen, who is 70.
Defense Minister Tea Banh, Interior Minister Sar Kheng, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Minister of National Assembly Men Sam On will no longer hold these positions. They will become Supreme Advisors to the King, Hun Sen stated.
“If I continue to be prime minister for one or two years, and then resign from the position, the situation will become unstable, so it is necessary to have a new cabinet, most of whom are young people responding to their duty for the future,” Hun Sen noted.
More transitions of power to a younger generation of ruling CPP elites are expected when the new cabinet is formed.
“I would like to confirm that I will not interfere in the affairs of the prime minister [Hun Manet] or new government,” Hun Sen stated.
On Sunday, Hun Manet was elected to office as the ruling CPP’s top lawmaker candidate for Phnom Penh.
The elections, in which the leading opposition Candlelight Party was disqualified from participating, were criticized as neither “free nor fair” according to the US government and other western governments.
Last week, Hun Sen had implied that Hun Manet would become prime minister within a month of Sunday’s elections.
“Please compatriots, do not be concerned about my leaving,” he said. “I still have the possibility to continue to serve people and help the government manage security and public order.”
This story has been updated at 6:12 p.m. to include additional quotes from Hun Sen’s speech.
