tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2568994465281213511.post1528009614033718525..comments2024-03-21T14:26:13.586+07:00Comments on LTO Cambodia: Practice BallotsCasey Nelson (pseud.)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00165901446765332635noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2568994465281213511.post-88963513934670559142013-07-13T00:30:59.632+07:002013-07-13T00:30:59.632+07:00Yes, their tactics have certainly been more heavy-...Yes, their tactics have certainly been more heavy-handed than the last three elections. I'd characterize their behavior as paranoid. I have my doubts about it being rooted in superstition though. I would speculate that it has more to do with the feeling that their control of the media is slipping due to radically increased internet penetration, that they might be losing some of their traditional countryside support due to land issues and possibly that their own non-public polls show support slipping in their traditional base. There does seem to be something of a bored malaise amongst the electorate - a desire for change for the sake of change.<br /><br />As for the inability to form a government in 2003 (and 1998) it was not due to 'sorting out the results' but with the 2/3 National Assembly vote requirement to form a government. If the winning party received less than 2/3 of the seats as it did in 98 and 03, that requirement forced the need to negotiate with a losing party in order to create a coalition and get the necessary 2/3 vote. That 2/3 NA vote requirement was changed to 50%+1 in 2004, significantly reducing the likelihood for the need for such a coalition. <br /><br />As for the factional fighting of 97, the tensions generated by the joint government certainly was a (if not the) major contributing factor, but the concurrent dissolution of the Khmer Rouge and the power imbalance that that threatened also played a significant role.<br />Casey Nelson (pseud.)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00165901446765332635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2568994465281213511.post-83251240245578164492013-07-12T15:56:45.109+07:002013-07-12T15:56:45.109+07:00This year the CPP seem to be using extraordinary a...This year the CPP seem to be using extraordinary and draconian methods to fix this election – far more than usual – despite having completely marginalised the opposition and controlling most aspects of public life. Furthermore it’s quite possible that if they didn’t use such underhand tactics and fought the election like a normal democracy they would win anyway. So why act the way they do? An avenue few (if any) have discussed is superstition. When the year ends in a three the CPP runs into problems. In 2003 the CPP didn’t get enough votes to be declared the winner, which led to Cambodia not having a government for over a year while the result was sorted out, and in 1993, the CPP lost to FUNCINPEC but refused to concede power, which led to joint rule and eventually the 1997 coop.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com