Cambodia PM set to win election

Prime Minister Hun Sen probably has to build a coalition

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen looked set to secure another term in office following Sunday's elections.

But his Cambodian People's Party appeared unlikely to win the two-thirds majority needed to rule on its own.

Preliminary figures from The National Election Committee (NEC) showed the ruling CPP ahead with 52% of the vote.

Under Cambodia's complex proportional representation rules, the CPP said it expected to have control of 73 of the 123 seats in the National Assembly, nine more than in the last election in 1998.

CAMBODIA'S ELECTION 23 political parties competing for 123 seats in the National Assembly 3 main contenders: the Cambodian People's Party, Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party 6.3 m people, half the population, are registered to vote Official results will not be announced until 8 August Election guide

The CPP's projection, which was reported by state-controlled media, was criticised by the two main opposition parties as premature and illegal

According to NEC figures, the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) was in second place with 20.5% and the royalist Funcinpec third with 18%.

Fierce horse-trading is now expected between the rival groups, as the CPP struggles to form a ruling coalition.

Both the SRP, and Funcinpec, the junior partner in the outgoing CPP-led coalition, have repeatedly said they will not join a government headed by Hun Sen.

In a further complication, Sam Rainsy said "irregularities" in the voting meant new elections should be organised for some areas.

International observers said they were largely pleased by the election process. Previous polls in Cambodia have been blighted by violence and corruption.

"The election campaign featured less political violence and greater opposition access to the media than in previous elections," said US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

Many ordinary voters say their main wish is for peace, in an election already widely seen as a crucial test of Cambodia's fledgling democracy.

The last thing they would want is a post-election period of stalemate or instability, according to a BBC correspondent.