As opposed to previous elections this one was fairly peaceful (only about a dozen politically related deaths). The results are in, and some parties are disputing the results, but is unlikely to end up like it did 10 years ago when the disagreeing factions used tanks against each other. Not claiming to be a expert on the matter, here is a overview of the main players in the election (as observed by an ill-informed foreigner).
Government - Cambodian People's Party led by Hun Sen.
The CPP has been running the country pretty much since Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were defeated. They were originally communists as well, but weren't as nutty as the KR. With the backing of the Vietnamese, the CPP drove Pol Pot out and ran the country as socialist state closely aligned to Communist Vietnam. 10 years later, when the United Nations bestowed peace and democratic elections upon Cambodia, CPP lost to a party (FUNCINPEC) which was identified closely with the King. Spitting the dummy, they started shooting until they were allowed to form a coalition with the winning party. The CPP dominated the coalition until they again forced their partners out. Since then, the CPP have called the shots by themselves. They are no longer left wing, they pretty much have embraced free market economic policies (meaning they have all gotten very rich). Despite criticisms of corruption and human rights abuses, most people agree that the CPP has improved the economy and fortunes of the country.
Hun Sen, Prime Minister and leader of the CPP, has been the most dominate figure in politics. He has been the Prime Minister for most of the past 30 years, and was even a Co-Prime Minister when he lost the elections. He lost an eye in the civil war and his favorite past time is giving speeches on one of the 10 TV stations that his party owns. Once told opponents that he knows when they are scheming, " I will even know when you fart!!" Threw his daughter out of his family because she turned out to be a lesbian and was worried she would bring home a hand grenade as well a girlfriend.
Main Opposition - Sam Rainsy Party led by Sam Rainsy (of course)
The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) is named after it's leader Sam Rainsy. It's not out of vanity that he named the party after himself but is due to dirty tricks on behalf of the CPP. He set up his opposition party calling it the Khmer Nation Party, but the CPP set up a bogus party with almost the same name to confuse the largely illiterate electorate. This the main opposition party and is considered the most democratically-minded or socially-just party (which means it is unlikely to ever get elected in Cambodia). Trying to aspire to higher standards of the behaviour, the party struggles against hand-grenade attacks, defection of their Members of Parliament to the CPP, and little support amongst the Army and Police (No Guns - No Government).
Sam Rainsy himself seems a promising character, was educated in France and was a successful economist in Europe before returning to Cambodia to join the government as Minister of Finance. He left the government because Hun Sen claimed he told him foreign investors to avoid Cambodia as it was too corrupt (he was fired for disloyalty, but not for lying). He does get a bit dirty sometimes as his party is anti-Vietnamese and plays upon Khmers' long held fear of their larger neighbours.
Royalist Opposition - Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party
Funcinpec (which is a French abbreviation for Front Uni National pour un Cambodge Indépendant, Neutre, Pacifique, et Coopératif, which translates to "National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia" ..... and has to be the longest party name in the world) was once powerful and actually won the first democratic elections. It was originally led by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the son of the old king, which was why it was very popular among the population. It's victory surprised the CPP and Hun Sen, and after a little discussion involving gunfire, was convinced to share power with the CPP.
Since that less-then-glorious peak, Funcinpec has gradually gotten less and less popular falling behind the SRP in representation. The latest setback was the dumping of it's leader, Prince Norodom for being too dominate in the party. Since his departure, he was found guilty for dodgy land deals and now is in exile in France and Malaysia. Despite not living in the country, he has set up his own party (named after himself) and will contest the election as his own separate royalist party. Neither party is expected to do well in the elections.
There are about another 15 political parties that are contesting but not many will win anything. As instructed by the locals, I will bunker down in my house and not venture out for the election weekend.
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