New parties on horizon

Political analyst Kem Ley plans to create a diverse set of independent political parties in the new year, tackling what he says is an autocratic “disease” infecting both the ruling party and the opposition.

Using his newly founded “social network” Khmer for Khmer as a springboard, Ley will register the parties at the communal, district and provincial levels of government, as well as create an Islamic party and an ethnic minority party, he told the Post last week. The idea is to start with five parties in different provinces and then potentially expand.

Ley’s intention, he said, is for the new entities to act as models of pluralistic “intra-party democracy” at the grassroots level.

“We will create local political parties, and those political parties will educate the people about the politics,” he said, adding that he does not intend to influence the parties’ politics beyond helping them establish their internal structures and bylaws.

Ley expects to register a provincial party in Kampong Speu, a commune party in Takeo, a district party in Ratanakkiri, an ethnic minority party in Mondulkiri and an Islamic party in Kampong Cham, all in the first half of 2015.

While Ley said it is legal to register parties at a commune or district government level, he admitted it has never been tried before. Given their small sizes, he said, it would be more practical for the parties to join forces with others instead of fielding their own candidates.

“They can make alliances if the CPP or CNRP agrees on their political platform, or all of them can come together to adopt a new body,” he said.

Ley also said the parties must ensure that ordinary party members vote for their leaders, adding that the large parties too often appoint leaders based on favouritism.

Read more at: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-parties-horizon