A Booming economy and a surge of patriotism from the face off against Thailand for sovereignty over the disputed Preah Vihear temple is expected to keep Hun Sen (age 57), one of Asia's longest serving leaders, in power with a solid majority of parliamentary seats. In fact, Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is expected to win at least 90 out of 123 seats with 26 seats going to the Sam Rainsy Party, Cambodia's main opposition party. The New York Times reported that experts are saying the elections have turned out to be the "least violent political campaign in Cambodia's recent history." Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal noted that:"Foreign investors, many from Asia, are watching the election closely because they hope Cambodia will remain politically stable, increasing its allure as a new locale for investment. Some have begun snapping up land on speculation of rising prices and have spent heavily on new garment factories, hotels and other infrastructure. Chevron Corp. is considering developing an oil deposit off Cambodia's coast.
While a clear victory for Mr. Hun Sen's government would likely reassure many of those investors, it wouldn't necessarily resolve one of the country's biggest problems: its reputation for corruption."
While a clear victory for Mr. Hun Sen's government would likely reassure many of those investors, it wouldn't necessarily resolve one of the country's biggest problems: its reputation for corruption."