Cambodia’s prime minister has wrecked a 25-year push for democracy

YOU don’t get to be the world’s longest-serving prime minister by leaving your future up to voters. Instead Hun Sen, who has led Cambodia since 1985, relies on curtailing their options. His government is petitioning the courts to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the only opposition group that threatens his grip (see ). As it is, the leader of the CNRP, Kem Sokha, is in jail, on charges of treason. His predecessor, Sam Rainsy, has fled the country, as have about half of the party’s 55 MPs.The head of the only other party bar Mr Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to win control of any local councils in commune elections this summer is also behind bars. The evisceration of the opposition ensures that the CPP will romp home in next year’s parliamentary election. The prime minister recently said that he planned to remain in charge for another ten years.