Cambodia National Salvation Party

The Paris Agreements (1991) , which ended the long war , provided not only for the restoration of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the return to the throne of Norodom Sihanouk , but also for a multi-party parliamentary system. In the first multi-party elections in May 1993, the monarchist party FUNSINPEC won. Representation in the National Assembly was also received by the People's Party of Cambodia (NPK, the former ruling Communist Party of the NRC ) and the Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (BDLP). The government was formed on a three-party coalition basis.

The NPK, which had an administrative-force resource, quickly established its dominance in the new political system. In the summer of 1997, Second Prime Minister Hun Sen carried out an actual coup , expelled the first Prime Minister, Prince Ranarit, and established his own autocracy. The political opposition was subjected to severe persecution, including terrorist attacks ^{[3] [4]} .

FUNSINPEK was defeated and forced to loyalty, BLDP ceased operations. The new opposition began to form on the basis of national liberalism and nationalist populism . Its leaders were former Minister of Finance Sam Raines and Member of Parliament Kem Sokha . Raines himself created the Khmer Nation Party in 1995, which later took on the name of its leader . Since 2007, Sokha has led the Human Rights Party . Both parties spoke out under the slogans of democratization and economic liberalism , against the authoritarian policies of Hong Sen. The party Raines himself also emphasized anti-corruption demands, sharply criticized the Vietnamese policy of the authorities, and protested against Vietnamese immigration to Cambodia ^{[5] [6]} .

In the 2008 National Assembly elections, the Raines Party itself received almost 22% of the vote and 26 of the 123 mandates; Human Rights Party - more than 6.6% and 3 mandates. In the 2012 Senate election, about the same number of voters voted for the Raines Party, which provided 11 out of 57 seats.

On July 17, 2012, in Phnom Penh, it was announced that the Party of Raines and the Human Rights Party would be united into a single National Salvation Party of Cambodia (PNSK). The first position in the union was taken by Rainey himself, the second by Kem Sokha. At the same time, both parties continue autonomous functioning until 2017 - when the term of office of the senators elected in 2012 expires ^[7] .

The new party proclaimed 7 principles of its future government ^[8] . All of them relate to socio-economic issues:

• pensions of 40 thousand riels (about 10 dollars ) from the age of 65

• the minimum wage of workers is 600 thousand riels (about $ 150) per month

• the minimum salary of civil servants is 1 million riels (about $ 250) per month

• guaranteed sales of agricultural products, especially rice at a price not lower than 1 thousand riels (about 25 cents )

• free medical care for the poor

• equal access of youth to education and employment

• reduction in prices for fuel, electricity, agricultural fertilizers, as well as interest on bank loans

In the political sphere, PNSK stands for pluralistic democracy and ensuring civil and political rights, against the authoritarian rule of the Hungarian Senate. Particularly raised are questions about the suppression of illegal immigration, especially Vietnamese, and about guarantees of the equal rights of women. In the economy, the party defends the principles of free enterprise, stimulating small and medium-sized businesses as the basis of competitive national production. In the social sphere, the development of the education system and vocational training is emphasized.

PNSK is a member of the Liberal International ^[9] .

In the parliamentary elections on July 27, 2013, PNSK, even according to official figures, achieved major success, receiving 44.46% of the vote and 55 seats out of 123. The greatest support for PNSK was in Phnom Penh (57.68%), Kandal province (55.76%) , Kampongtyam province (51.1%), Preywang province (49.95%). Thus, the electoral support of the Cambodian opposition were the townspeople, especially the residents of the capital; peasants who lose land ownership as a result of seizures, seizures and immigration; the youngest voters.

PNSK refused to recognize the announced voting results and called for protests. During the year, Phnom Penh was embraced by mass anti-government protests ^[10] . Oppositionists were supported by Phnom Penh workers, primarily textile workers, who demanded a minimum wage of $ 160 ^[11] . Fierce clashes took place between the demonstrators and government forces, several people died.

The conflict was partially resolved after a personal meeting of Rainey himself with Hun Sen on July 21, 2014 ^[12] and an agreement on the division of the parliamentary leadership. Several commissions, including anti-corruption, came under the control of the opposition.

The political situation in Cambodia remains complex and tense. The opposition is being persecuted, PNSK leaders are forced to hide from the police ^[13] , Rainey himself is deprived of a deputy mandate, and an arrest warrant has been issued ^[14] . On April 27, 2016, 53 PNSC activists called on King of Cambodia Norodom Siamoni to stop political repression ^[15] .

The supreme bodies of the PNSC are the Standing Committee (determines the policy of the party) and the Executive Committee (directs the current activities of the party). The chairman of the party is Sam Raines, the deputy chairman is Kem Sokha. The party’s general secretary (head of the executive committee) is Jim Sovann , entrepreneur, political scientist, and member of parliament. A prominent member of the PNSK is the party’s spokeswoman, human rights activist Mu Sochua , known for her struggle for women's rights, against gender discrimination, domestic and family violence, the slave trade, and industrial exploitation.

The official symbol of PNSK is the rising sun on a blue background. Motto: Save, serve, protect ( Khmer. សង្គ្រោះ បម្រើ ការពារ ).

On November 16, 2017, the Cambodian Supreme Court ruled to ban the PNSC. The court verdict followed a statement by the Interior Ministry about the opposition’s preparations for an anti-government “color revolution”. He was previously arrested by Kem Sokha. 489 community leaders and 55 MPs from the PNSK were stripped of their posts and mandates, which were transferred to other parties. A large group of party activists - 118 people - are forbidden to engage in political activity for five years ^[16] .

Forced dissolution of the opposition party allows Hong Sen to freely hold power in the 2018 election . Representatives of the international community called on the Cambodian authorities to reverse this decision. Charles Santiago, chairman of the ASEAN Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights, called the PNSC ban "the last nail in the coffin of Cambodian democracy."

• nationalrescueparty.org - party official website (ahem.)