Brussels, 30/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - Congratulating the people of Cambodia on the “peaceful and calm conduct” of the parliamentary elections on 28 July, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton called on “all parties to maintain a peaceful and democratic spirit”. She hoped that “any dispute addressed to the national election committee and the established judicial mechanisms will be dealt with fairly and swiftly”. On 29 July, the leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), Sam Rainsy, stated that he did not accept the results of the elections because “there were too many irregularities with far too great consequences”. Several foreign organisations criticised the conditions of the elections.
“Taking note” of the preliminary results, “all parties should now positively contribute to the future of the country and engage constructively to pursue the necessary reforms aimed at further enhancing the democratic process in Cambodia”, Ashton stated in a press release from her spokesperson. In Ashton's view, the high level of participation in the election (69.5%) and the mobilisation of young people during the campaign are encouraging signs for democracy in Cambodia.
While Ashton recognises that the national elections committee took a number of steps prior to the elections in order to respond to some recommendations of past EU election observation missions, she regrets that the authorities did not take all the measures needed to remedy some of the shortcomings “such as improving the reliability of the voter list, ensuring equitable access to media and preventing the use of state resources including campaigning by civil servants and the military”.
Rainsy's CNRP lost to Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) which has been in power since 1985. The CPP won 68 seats in parliament to the CNRP's 55. (CG/transl.fl)