By Prensa Latina,
Phnom Penh : Cambodia started general elections Sunday to decide the distribution of 123 parliamentary seats, and according to predictions, government Popular Party might be the graceful winner.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hu Sen is confident that his party wins, counting on support for his position in the border dispute with Thailand for the Khmer temple of Preah Vihear, which both countries are claiming for themselves.
Hu Sen exercised his right to vote early Sunday at an electoral center in the Provincial Teachers School, close to his residence.
Hu told reporters the national environment for general elections was good, and that he hopes it keeps that way up to the end of the elections.
He recently said that if he won the elections with the required majority –eight seats more than the 73 seats the Popular Party now controls- his organization will leave the alliance with Funcinpec, a political organization in favour of monarchy.
Polls known up to now are giving the Popular Party a wide edge over its main contenders: Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party.
Regional analysts expect the elections release the tension between Phnom Penh and Bangkok and the two countries find a way to settle their dispute in the negotiations.
A total of 15,255 electoral colleges opened at 07:00 local time for the fourth general elections in Cambodia, with the participation of 8.1 million people with the right to vote, until 13:00 local time, scheduled by the National Electoral Commission.
This entity informed that more than 10 million ballots were distributed for the elections, in which 11 political parties are taking in for the 123 parliamentary seats, with a registration of more than 8 million voters, monitored by 17,000 local and international observers.
The Commission also said preliminary results will be announced on Monday.