Cambodian Senate background

PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) - The Senate of Cambodia is the upper house of parliament which performs its duties as determined by the constitution and the law.

After National Assembly elections organized by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) in April, 1993, a Constitutional Assembly was established in June. 

Presided over by King Norodom Sihanouk, chairman of the Supreme Council of Magistracy, it drafted the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia which stipulated that the king ruled according to the constitution and the principles of liberal democracy and pluralism.

The Senate was established after a meeting between the two main political parties at the Royal Palace from November 12 to 13, 1998. Chaired by King Sihanouk, the meeting aimed to end a political crisis that followed National Elections and promote long-term political stability.

The new Senate held its first meeting on March 25, 1999. Under the constitution, the number of senate members must not exceed half the membership of the National Assembly. 

In the first Senate, there were 61 members comprising 31 from the Cambodian People's Party, 21 from Funcinpec and 7 from the Sam Rainsy Party with the two other Senators nominated by the king.

In the outgoing Senate, whose six-year term started in 2006, two senators were appointed by the king and another two elected by the National Assembly. The rest were elected by commune councilors and National Assembly members. 

Apart from the four positions reserved for the king and the National Assembly, the outgoing Senate had 45 members from the Cambodian People's Party, 10 from Funcinpec and 2 from the Sam Rainsy Party.