Cambodia's ruling party endorses PM Hun Sen's son Hun Manet as future leader

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia's longtime ruling party voted to endorse Prime Minister Hun Sen's eldest son as "future prime minister" but did not specify a timeframe for when he might succeed his father, who has been in power for 36 years.

A statement from the Cambodia People's Party said its central committee unanimously endorsed Mr Hun Manet, 44, as "the prime minister candidate in the future".

Mr Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders, earlier this month said he would support his son as his successor but did not say when he would retire.

Cambodia has had a one-party government since the 2018 elections, after a campaign that saw the main opposition party dissolved and a broad crackdown on civil society and the media.

Mr Hun Sen's office could not immediately be reached on Friday (Dec 24).

He has not clarified whether he will be the candidate in the next elections, in 2023.

Mr Hun Manet is a deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and joint chief of staff who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1999.