Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy on Monday rejected the results of the weekend’s elections, calling for an international committee to investigate the ballot, which was won the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.
“We don’t accept the election results from the NEC (National Election Commission) because there are too many irregularities,” Mr. Rainsy told a press conference.
“We call for the establishment of a committee, with both (political) parties and (international) NGOs,” he said.
Mr. Rainsy also called on the UN and “friendly countries to send experts to be part of the joint committee to assess all irregularities of results.” If the results were unfair, he said his party would call for another vote.
His Cambodia National Rescue Party won 55 out of the parliament’s 123 seats in Sunday’s poll, far more than in previous elections, but still behind the Cambodian People’s Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, with 68.
Mr. Rainsy had said even before the ballot that the vote was unfair. “We take part in this election knowing it’s not a real election,” he said at the weekend.
The largely government-controlled media and an election committee stacked with ruling party supporters have been cited as favouring the CPP. Two independent audits earlier this year found that the voter list could disenfranchise 1 million eligible voters.
Voting was mostly peaceful, but there were isolated incidents of violence, including at one polling station in the capital where a mob angry that they could not find their names on the voter list overturned and set fire to two police vehicles.
