Cambodia's authoritarian model refined, not reformed, under Hun Manet

Cambodia's transition to Prime Minister Hun Manet has not ushered in the expected political opening. Instead, the country's authoritarian model, built on patronage and coercion, has been refined and made more resilient.

“

Western policymakers were eager to believe that a dynastic transfer might create room to recalibrate relations with Phnom Penh. But they failed to recognise how deeply the Cambodian People’s Party’s survival depended on preserving the very institutions that had forced opposition figures such as me into exile.

While overt violence has decreased, the regime now employs a more sophisticated approach. This includes legal repression, digital surveillance, and tighter control over communications. The imprisonment of five young leaders from Mother Nature in July 2024 exemplifies this shift. Charged with "conspiring against the state" and "insulting the king," their real offense was exposing environmental destruction and corruption linked to the ruling elite. They remain in prison, isolated and with delayed appeals.

“

Although violence has become less conspicuous, the regime increasingly relies on elite patronage, legal repression, digital surveillance and tighter control over communications. The result is a quieter but arguably more resilient authoritarian state.

The remnants of Cambodia's political opposition also face severe persecution. Parties like the Candlelight Party and the Nation Power Party are routinely subjected to legal harassment and administrative obstruction. Leaders and supporters endure arbitrary arrests and politically motivated prosecutions, effectively stifling any meaningful electoral competition. This systematic suppression ensures the ruling party's continued dominance, demonstrating that the core of Hun Sen's governing model remains intact under his son's leadership.

“

Their real offence was exposing environmental destruction and corruption, including illegal logging and sand-mining operations that directly enrich the ruling elite.