Prime Minister of Cambodia

Prime Minister of
the Kingdom of Cambodia

Incumbent
Hun Sen

since 30 November 1998
Office of the Prime Minister
Royal Government of Cambodia
Style His Excellency
Member of
Reports to Parliament
Residence The Peace Palace
Seat Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Appointer Norodom Sihamoni
(as King of Cambodia)
Term length Five years
Inaugural holder Norodom Sihanouk
Formation 18 March 1945 (1945-03-18)
Deputy Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia
Salary KHR 3,675,000[1]
as of 2014: excluding MP's salary and other annual income
Website www.samdechhunsen.gov.kh
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Cambodia
Foreign relations

The Prime Minister of Cambodia (Khmer: នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា) is the head of government of Cambodia. The prime minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet and leads the executive branch of the Royal Cambodian Government. The prime minister is required to be a member of parliament, and is appointed by the monarch for a term of five years. Since 1945, there have been 36 prime ministers.[2]

The incumbent prime minister, since 1985, is Hun Sen of the Cambodian People's Party. He previously served from 1985 to 1993 and was second prime minister from 1993 to 1998. He was elected as prime minister in his own right in 1998. He is the longest serving prime minister in Cambodian history.

History

The position was first held by King Norodom Sihanouk in March 1945, during the French colonial era.[3] Cambodia's first parliamentary elections were held on 1 September 1946. The Democratic Party remained the dominant-party in Cambodian politics throughout the 1940s until the formation of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum in 1955. Sangkum was the dominant-party in Cambodia from 1955 to 1970 following a military coup by General Lon Nol. Until 1993, it was not an elected position. Merely few prime ministers were elected including Sisowath Youtevong, Norodom Sihanouk, and Lon Nol. In 1993, constitutional monarchy was restored in Cambodia. The role of the prime minister was officially recognized in the constitution. Norodom Ranariddh became the first democratically elected prime minister.

Appointment

The prime minister is required to be a member of parliament. He first needs to be elected by a majority of parliament before a swearing-in ceremony can take place. The inauguration of the prime minister takes place at the Royal Palace. The prime minister-designate takes an oath of office in front of the monarch and the two heads of the Thammayut and Mohanikay order. A cabinet will then be unveiled. The formation of a new government takes place no more than 60 days after the election, as defined in the constitution. The prime minister is assisted by deputy prime ministers.

Article 125 of the Constitution[4] states that should the prime minister resign or die in office, an acting prime minister is appointed.

Office

Prime Minister's Office.

The Peace Palace serves as the principal workplace of the prime minister.[5] It was inaugurated on 19 October 2010 by the King. However, the prime minister resides at his own private residence.

Constitutional powers

Norodom Sihanouk, the first prime minister.

The powers of the Prime Minister are established by the current Constitution of Cambodia, adopted on 24 September 1993 and amended on 4 March 1999.[6] They are defined by the following articles of the Constitution:

Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia

The Deputy Prime Minister (Khmer: ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី) serves as the deputy to the Prime Minister of Cambodia and is the second highest position in the Cabinet. As of 2016, there are nine deputy prime ministers.

NameIncumbent sinceOther officesParty
Sar Kheng 3 February 1992 Minister of the Interior Cambodian People's Party
Kong Sam Ol 30 November 1998 Minister of the Royal Palace Cambodian People's Party
Hor Namhong 16 July 2004 none Cambodian People's Party
Tea Banh 16 July 2004 Minister of National Defense Cambodian People's Party
Sok An 16 July 2004 Chairman of the Council of Ministers Cambodian People's Party
Bin Chhin 5 September 2007 none Cambodian People's Party
Yim Chhaily 24 September 2008 none Cambodian People's Party
Men Sam An 25 September 2008 Minister of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection Cambodian People's Party
Ke Kim Yan 12 March 2009 none Cambodian People's Party

List of Prime Ministers (1993–present)

Hun Sen Ung Huot Hun Sen
Portrait Name Term of Office Political Party Mandate
Took Office Left Office Time in Office
Norodom Ranariddh
នរោត្តម រណឫទ្ធិ
(born 1944)
First Prime Minister
2 July 1993 6 August 1997 4 years, 35 days FUNCINPEC 1 (1993)
Hun Sen
ហ៊ុន សែន
(born 1952)
Second Prime Minister
24 September 1993 30 November 1998 5 years, 67 days Cambodian People's Party
Ung Huot
អ៊ឹង ហួត
(born 1945)
First Prime Minister
6 August 1997 30 November 1998 1 year, 116 days FUNCINPEC
Hun Sen
ហ៊ុន សែន
(born 1952)
30 November 1998 Incumbent 18 years, 16 days Cambodian People's Party 2 (1998)
3 (2003)
4 (2008)
5 (2013)

Living former Prime Ministers

As of December 2016, there are four living former prime ministers, as shown below.

See also

References

  1. "Cambodian Prime Minister gets less than USD 1,000 per month". The Cambodia Herald. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2016. Prime Minister gets salary and other allowances equal to 3,675,000 Riels about USD 918...
  2. "PM office 'first held power with Pol Pot". The Phnom Penh Post. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  3. http://rulers.org/rulc1.html Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  4. (French) Ambassade royale du Cambodge en France - Constitution
  5. "Cambodia's proud history of building art". The Phnom Penh Post. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  6. (French) Ambassade royale du Cambodge en France - Constitution
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