Cambodia’s ruling party wins Senate election, paving the way for Hun Sen to act as its president

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — The long-ruling Cambodian People’s Party has won its expected landslide victory in the election for the country’s Senate. The National Election Committee on Monday began releasing results by constituency, after earlier announcing that according to a provisional overall count, the Cambodian People’s Party won 55 of the 58 seats that were contested on Sunday. The chamber has 62 members, with two senators be appointed by King Norodom Sihamoni and two others by the National Assembly, which is the lower house of Parliament. The vote paves the way for Hun Sen, who is the ruling party president, to become Senate President, after stepping down last year from 38 years of serving as prime minister. He was succeeded as prime minister by his son, Hun Manet.