An estimated 20,000 supporters of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) flocked to the streets in Phnom Penh on December 22 to call on Prime Minister Hun Sen to hold a reelection or to step down following allegations of serious irregularities during the July election.
According to Xinhua, the protests, led by CNRP President Sam Rainsy and Vice President Kem Sokha, entered the eighth day and was considered the largest-ever marching in the capital since the July election.
Protesters marched around 20 km through streets in the capital in the afternoon.
Earlier, Prime Minister Hun Sen affirmed that he will neither step down nor call a reelection because he has done nothing wrong.
According to Article 78 of the country's constitution, the National Assembly shall not be dissolved before the end of its five-year term, except when the royal government is twice deposed within a period of twelve months.
"So, in Cambodia, the Prime Minister, the King, and the National Assembly itself have no rights to dissolve the parliament," he said.
The PM also warned that his government will take legal action against protesters if they block highways or capture government buildings.
Political row between the ruling party and the opposition party has persisted since the July election results showed that the ruling party won a majority of vote with 68 parliamentary seats against 55 seats for the opposition.
The opposition refused to accept the outcome and has boycotted the parliament since then.
Despite the opposition's boycott, the ruling party-formed parliament voted on September 24 for the establishment of a new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen.-VNA
