Cambodia: CNRP to elect new president after Rainsy’s resignation

Sam Rainsy, former President of CNRP. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has announced that it will hold a congress on March 2 to elect its new president after Sam Rainsy resigned two weeks ago.

According to the CNRP’s statement, the congress will be organised at the party’s headquarters on the southern outskirts of Phnom Penh. At the congress, the CNRP will select the party’s president and vice president.

Currently, CNRP's Vice President Kem Sokha is holding the position of the party's acting president after Sam Rainsy resigned on February 11.

Rainsy has been living in exile from November 2015 to avoid a two-year prison sentence over defaming Deputy PM Hor Namhong in 2008. He had also been imposed some other sentences in Cambodia.

Rainsy step down as the party's president after Prime Minister Hun Sen proposed the National Assembly to amend the Law on Political Parties to ban convicts from serving as president of a party.

On February 20, the National Assembly amended the legislation which bars convicted politicians from leading a political party and empowers the Supreme Court to dissolve any political party over the conviction of a party top official.-VNA