Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has set Sunday, June 6, 2027, as the date for the country’s sixth commune and sangkat council elections, a key local vote seen as an important test of political support ahead of national elections.
The announcement has been welcomed by election monitoring groups, which say an early date gives political parties, institutions, and voters enough time to prepare. But they are also urging the government to widen political space and ensure free participation for all relevant groups.
Korn Savang, a monitoring and advocacy coordinator at COMFREL, welcomed the early announcement of the election date. He said it could help political parties, election bodies, and voters make proper preparations.
But he also expressed hope that, following the pardon of Kem Sokha, the government would consider pardoning or releasing other detained political activists. He said this would allow them to freely take part in political activities and the election process.
The election monitor said an open political environment and the protection of political rights for all citizens are essential for an election that is free, fair, and acceptable to all sides.
Commune and sangkat council elections are held every five years and are widely seen as a major indicator of grassroots political support in Cambodia.
In the previous election, held on June 5, 2022, 17 political parties took part. Nine of them won seats across 1,652 communes and sangkats nationwide.
According to official results, the Cambodian People’s Party won 9,376 seats, including 1,648 commune chief and sangkat chief positions. The Candlelight Party won 2,198 seats, including four commune chiefs and sangkat chief positions.
FUNCINPEC won 19 seats, while the Khmer National United Party won 13 seats. Other parties that gained seats included the Grassroots Democratic Party with six, the Khmer National Love Party with five, the Cambodian Youth Party with three, the Cambodia Nationality Party with one, and the Beehive Social Democratic Party with one.
