The Candlelight Party (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ) is a liberal party in Cambodia. The party was a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, Liberal International, and the Alliance of Democrats. It is the largest opposition party in Cambodia, and the main challenger to the ruling Cambodian People's Party. The party, which would have been the only competitive opposition party to the CPP, was disqualified from running in the 2023 election by the National Election Committee despite previously being permitted to participate in the 2022 local elections. The party resumed political activity in October 2021 after having been inactive since 2012.
The party, founded in 1995 as the Khmer Nation Party, renamed the Sam Rainsy Party in 1998, and it was renamed the Candlelight Party in 2018. This party is currently the official opposition to the ruling Cambodian People's Party. Since the decline of the junior coalition partner, FUNCINPEC, in the 2008 National Assembly elections, the Candlelight Party is now considered the second largest party and the largest opposition party in Cambodia. The party won 15 of the 123 seats in the National Assembly in the 1998 elections, 24 seats in the 2003 elections, and 26 seats in the 2008 elections. The CP won two seats in the 2006 Senate elections. In 2009, it formally allied with the Human Rights Party in the Democratic Movement of Change.
In 2008, party activist Tuot Saron was arrested on a charge of "being an accomplice to unlawful confinement". International human rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International described the charges as a politically motivated attempt to intimidate other SRP activists. Tuot Saron was released on 26 November 2010, following a Royal Pardon decree. In July 2024, Candlelight Party President Teav Vannol was fined 6 billion riels (approximately $1.5 million) for “defaming” the Cambodian government to foreign media.
Election results General elections Election Leader Votes Seats Position Government # % ± # ± 1998 Sam Rainsy 699,665 14.3 New New 3rd 2003 1,130,423 21.9 7.6 9 3rd 2008 1,316,714 21.9 2 2nd
Communal elections Election Leader Votes Chiefs Councillors Position # % ± # ± # ± 2002 Sam Rainsy 736,454 16.9 New New New 3rd 2007 1,303,906 25.2 8.3 15 1,331 2nd 2012 1,224,460 20.8 4.4 6 505 2nd 2017 Teav Vannol Did not contest 22 2,155 2022 1,610,556 22.2 22.2 4 2,198 2nd
Senate elections Election Leader Votes Seats Position Outcome # % ± # ± 2006 Kong Korm 1,165 10.3 — 5 3rd 2012 2,503 21.9 11.6 9 2nd
See also :Category:Candlelight Party politicians Liberalism Contributions to liberal theory Liberalism worldwide List of liberal parties Liberal democracy
References
External links Sam Rainsy Party official site