July 29, 2013 -- Updated 1416 GMT (2216 HKT)
The opposition party in Cambodia has rejected the results of the
country's national election, which handed another win to long-serving
Prime Minister Hun Sen. FULL STORY
|
BIGGEST ELECTION IN 20 YEARS
July 29, 2013 -- Updated 0732 GMT (1532 HKT)
Leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, Sam Rainsy speaks in Phnom Penh on Monday.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Hun Sen has been in office for 28 years
- The two main parties teamed up, and hoped for strength in numbers
- More than 9 million people were eligible to vote
- The opposition party allege widespread irregularities
The Cambodia National
Rescue Party (CNRP) said Monday the weekend balloting was marred by
irregularities, and demanded an investigation.
Cambodians went to the polls Sunday.
According to preliminary
results released by the national election commission, the opposition won
55 seats. But the number wasn't large enough to unseat the ruling
Cambodian People's Party, which won 68 seats.
Cambodia election biggest in 20 years
In a statement,
opposition leader Sam Rainsy said a committee -- made up of
representatives of the main political parties, the election commission
and foreign election monitors -- should look into "all serious election
irregularities."
Once the committee issues
its findings, political leaders from both sides will find ways to
"redress the injustice done to the Cambodian people whose will has been
distorted for too long," he said.
Hun Sen has been in office for 28 years.
Still, opposition groups were energized.
The two main parties
teamed up to form the CNRP, and hoped for strength in numbers: Enough
votes to take over control from the ruling party.
More than 9 million people were eligible to vote.
The excitement bubbled over Friday when Rainsy returned home from exile in France.
He left in 2009 to avoid
prison on charges of spreading disinformation -- charges many
considered politically motivated. International pressure led to him
receiving a royal pardon last week. But he arrived too late to run for
office.
The national election committee said it worked hard to ensure the election was far.
"In preparing for the
election this year, we started in the middle of 2012," said Tep Nytha,
the secretary general of the committee, ahead of the balloting.
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