Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh, son of the late King Norodom Sihanouk, on February 26 announced that he would re-enter politics by forming a new party to run for the 2018 general election.

The new party under the name “The Community of Royalist People Party” is scheduled to be formed this year.

The 70-year-old prince said he decided the country needs a new political force as the two current leading parties - the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) – cannot tackle their political differences, local media reported.

The prince said he vows to tap his father’s political legacy and breathe new life into the royalists and wants to mobilise nationalism and Sihanoukism to establish the new party and restore the royal family to its former glory.

Prince Ranariddh, a former honorary Prime Minister and ex-President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, currently holds the post of President of the Supreme Privy Advisory Council to King Norodom Sihamoni.

He decided to quit politics for the first time in October 2008 and then re-entered the arena in December 2010 before stepping out of the limelight once more in August 2012.

Cambodia still faces a major political dispute over last July’s election results, which handed the ruling CPP 68 parliamentary seats and the CNRP 55.

Claiming serious irregularities during the poll, the CNRP refused to accept the outcome and have held many protests calling for the resignation of PM Hun Sen and a re-election. Both appeals have been rejected by the Prime Minister.-VNA