President of the GDP Yeng Vireak and CP vice-president Son Chhay meet with their party members in Sakream commune in Prasat Balang district in Kampong Thom province on July 17. GDP
The Grassroots Democratic Party (GDP) and the Candlelight Party (CP) formed a local level political alliance in Prasat Balang district’s Sakream commune of Kampong Thom province on July 17.
GDP spokesperson Loek Sothea told The Post that the GDP’s Board of Directors chairman Yang Saing Koma and the CP’s vice-president Son Chhay had met with Sakream commune council. They aimed to encourage newly elected councils to form alliances in order to promote democratic governance based on the principles of multi-party liberalisation.
Sothea added that although the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won the election in Sakream commune, it did not have enough seats according to the 50 + 1 principle to make decisions without the cooperation of other parties.
He said that in the commune election, the GPD won two seats, the CP two seats and the CPP three; so if GDP and CP were to align themselves with one another, they could defeat the CPP.
According to Sothea, they could use the commune to model how political alliances work, as an example ahead of the 2023 elections.
“We want to use this collective image to study how we can work together to help the people. Our goal is to get better outcomes for the Sakream commune and more benefits for its people,” he said.
Cambodian political analyst Em Sovannara said that the grassroots political alliance between the two parties at the commune council level meant that their one voice now had four votes and would allow them to steer decision making in the commune.
“Building the popularity and credibility of the GDP and CP at the commune level is a good move. I welcome and applaud what they have done, and would encourage similar actions in other communes,” he said.
CPP spokesman Sok Eysan told The Post on July 17 that the post-election political alliance between the two parties was no problem. Regardless of the deal they had made, the council was still under the law on commune administration.
“The commune administration is under the control of the Ministry of Interior. Even though an alliance has been formed, they can’t go beyond the framework of the Law on commune management of the interior ministry,” he said.
