Present Political Framework.
The account given on the historical aspect of Cambodia, has allowed for the present political framework of the country to be shaped. Cambodia today, is seen as a constitutional monarchy with king Norodom Sihamoni serving as the country's head of state. Moreover, the executive branch, made up of king Sihamoni as well as the Prime Minister Hun Sen, makes political decisions within the nation, with the prime minister holding significantly more influence. The prime minister of Cambodia is appointed by the king on behalf of the recommendation of the President and Vice-president of the National Assembly. Thus, in order to become prime minister, one must obtain a vote of confidence from the National Assembly. On the contrary, a Senate of 61 seats and the National Assembly, which is made up of 123 seats, comprise the legislative branch. Although, Cambodia is known as a multi-party representative democracy, the Cambodian People's Party (CCP) led by Prime Minister Hun Sen has held the upper hand in politics for the last 20-25 years with the opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) suffering from various forms of political oppression. Furthermore, while Prime Minister Hun Sen is known to have been a part of the Khmer Rouge Army, the CCP itself claims no ideological linkage to communist roots or in fact, any sort of political ideology. The CNRP, on the other hand, is known to have liberal democratic tendencies when it comes to their political stance and rhetoric. Having now fully obtained both a historic preamble and an explanation about present day politics in Cambodia, it is important to shift emphasis towards the reasons as to why Cambodia still struggles to successfully implement democracy and establish itself as a politically stable nation within the region. .
Corruption & Transparency.
Cambodia, as many other Southeast Asian countries has been held back from development due to major corruption issues, deeply rooted within the nation's society.