A woman votes at a polling station at Tuol Kork Primary School in Phnom Penh. Hong Menea
In the wake of the July 23 general election, observers from China and Russia have praised the proceedings as “peaceful, fair and transparent”, aligning with international standards.
Both nations recognised the “professionalism” demonstrated in the conduct of the election.
Zhu Guije, deputy director-general of the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE), expressed her admiration at a press conference on July 24.
Guije commended the enthusiasm of the Cambodian electorate, especially noted during a visit to local polling stations.
She was particularly moved by the sight of women with babies and elderly voters arriving early in the morning to cast their votes.
“Such participation demonstrated public confidence in the electoral process and management of the National Election Committee [NEC] and other supporting agencies.
“They successfully created a favourable environment for the conduct of the election. We highly commend the works of the NEC for their professionalism,” she said.
Guije underscored the peaceful, fair, and transparent nature of the election, saying it adhered to international standards.
She extended her congratulations to the people of Cambodia on the historic success of the election and encouraged a united front between the Cambodian populace and political parties for the further development and prosperity of the country.
Reflecting on broader regional trends, Guije observed that Cambodia, along with other Asian nations, had seen a gradual shift in political demographics, with young people increasingly participating in the democratic process.
“Cambodian youths have confidently taken the baton from the previous generation with a strong determination and aspiration to build a just society and safeguard their predecessors’ legacy,” she noted.
Similarly, Maximov Andrey, the chair of the Commission of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation on Territorial Development and Local Government, found “no cause for concern” on the eve of the election.
He reported no violations of laws or rules, leading to a smooth election campaign.
“On election day, eligible voters headed to the polls. We hadn’t received complaints. We hadn’t seen any violence.
The voters were happy to participate in the election, and we observed them casting their ballots in each polling station. We saw no signs of threats or bullying,” he said.
Andrey echoed Guije’s views, emphasising that the election was safe, professionally conducted and had a high voter turnout.
“We found the process to be transparent,” he said.
