Former Cambodia National Rescue Party senior official Lak Sopheap announced her return to politics last week with the founding of the Khmer Solidarity Party.

“We [will] follow the American principle for voting and selection,” she said yesterday.

She confirmed that, in response to a Ministry of Interior letter dated August 6, the party was working to meet the legal guidelines set for official approval, including clear statutes, regulations, and policies.

“We are now collecting thumbprints of 4,000 members,” she said.

Sopheap, a former assistant for vice president of the CNRP, Kem Sokha, was expelled from the party last year after she alleged the CNRP president had taken a $20 million bribe to quell a political deadlock.

The KSP is one of several newly established parties, including the Beehive Social Democratic Party, the Khmer Power Party and the Grassroots Democracy Party.

Kol Panha, director of Comfrel electoral reform, said he is optimistic about the formation of these parties.

“Having more political parties means voters have more and greater options,” he said.