Cambodia's king has approved the government's nomination of Hun Manet, the eldest son of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen, to become the next Premier, according to a decree published on August 7.
The decree was shared on the Telegram channel of Hun Sen, who will be stepping down after 38 years in power. The appointment requires the approval of the newly elected National Assembly, expected later this month, following the huge win by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in last month’s election, where it won 120 of 125 parliamentary seats in a contest in which all viable opposition was sidelined.
Hun Sen last month said he would step down and hand over power to his son in August, ending a 38-year rule during which he established stability after years of war but stifled democracy in the process.
He will however maintain important posts in the legislature and the ruling party.
Hun Manet, 45, was educated in the United States and Britain, where has received a master decree and doctorate respectively, both in economics.
He is also a graduate of the prestigious West Point military academy in the United States and has served as Cambodia’s deputy armed forces commander-in-chief.
Hun Manet has said little of his vision for the country. He won a seat in the capital, Phnom Penh, in the election.
