Cambodia king appoints long-ruling Hun Sen's son, army chief as next PM

Cambodia's army chief Hun Manet has been appointed as the country's new leader by the king after having effectively been given the post from his father Hun Sen, who ruled for nearly four decades.

On Monday, following a request from Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders, King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree stating that he "appoints Dr. Hun Manet as the prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th mandate of the parliament".

Days after a landslide victory in July's election, Hun Sen announced he was stepping down as prime minister and handing power to his eldest son.

The polls were widely decried as a sham after the main opposition challenger, the Candlelight Party, was barred from running over a technicality, with the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) winning all but five seats in the 125-member lower house.

To officially become the country's next leader, 45-year-old Hun Manet and his cabinet must win a confidence vote in parliament set for August 22.

The lower house is overwhelmingly stacked with members loyal to Hun Sen and he has pursued a ruthless campaign against any opposition, banning parties and forcing adversaries to flee abroad.

The incoming government will usher in a crop of young ministers, with some taking posts vacated by their fathers.

While insisting he would not interfere with his son's rule, Hun Sen has also promised Cambodians that he will continue to play a prominent role in politics.

"It is not the end yet," he said on Monday following the appointment, adding he would continue serving in other positions until at least 2033.

After stepping down, Hun Sen will become president of the Senate early next year and acting head of state when the king is overseas.

Untried, untested

Despite being groomed for years, the eldest son of Cambodia's iron-fisted ruler remains untested in the political arena and relatively unknown beyond it, according to Sebastian Strangio, author of "Hun Sen 's Cambodia".

"It is very hard to determine any distinctive national vision," he told AFP.

Hun Manet has an economics degree from England and graduated from US Military Academy West Point, but there are few signs he would bring his country closer to Western powers.

"I have not seen any evidence that Manet has either the ability or the desire to push Cambodia in the direction of significant reform," Strangio said.

He said Hun Manet's decisions would be "dictated by" the country's rigid political system, requiring him to maintain the loyalty of powerbrokers in the political establishment, business elite, and security forces.

Hun Manet is a member of the ruling party's powerful permanent committee, and has been the Royal Cambodian Army's commander since 2018.

He has in the past met world leaders, including China's President Xi Jinping, Cambodia's main ally and a significant benefactor.

Following the announcement, Hun Manet posted a congratulatory song on social media.