Hun Manet gestures after voting at a polling station in Phnom Penh on July 23, 2023. Photo AFP
Cambodia’s king will appoint Hun Manet as the country’s new leader on Monday.
Days after a landslide victory in the July elections, Hun Sen – one of the world’s longest-serving leaders – announced he was stepping down as prime minister and handing power to his eldest son.
On Monday, following a request from Hun Sen, King Norodom Sihamoni is expected to issue a royal decree making four-star general Hun Manet prime minister.
However, to officially become the country’s new leader, the 45-year-old and his new cabinet must win a vote of confidence in parliament scheduled for August 22.
A member of the ruling party’s standing committee, Hun Manet has been the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army since 2018.
He also met with world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. After his resignation, Hun Sen will become president of the Senate early next year and acting head of state when the king is overseas.
