A committee has been established by the ruling CPP to amend the Law on Political Parties in order to ban citizens with dual nationality from holding party leadership positions, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after an event at the Interior Ministry in Phnom Penh, Mr. Kheng said the committee would likely meet next week, without offering further details.
“I haven’t held the meeting yet but will probably have a meeting about this next week,” he said, “so then we will know what to do.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Monday that the CPP would amend the election law to state that political party leaders shall have only Cambodian nationality, a move apparently aimed at opposition leader Sam Rainsy ahead of the 2018 national election.
Mr. Rainsy holds a French passport and is currently in self-imposed exile avoiding a two-year prison sentence for defaming Foreign Minister Hor Namhong. CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said the amendment committee was created about two week ago, prior to Mr. Hun Sen’s announcement.
