STORY: Cambodian king endorses new parliament
DATELINE: Aug. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:49
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the National Assembly Palace in Cambodia
2. various of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni presiding over opening of new National Assembly
3. various of opening of new National Assembly
4. various of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni posing for group photo with the lawmakers-elect

STORYLINE:

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the opening of the new National Assembly's first session on Monday after a general election last month.

Outgoing Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won 120 parliamentary seats and the Funcinpec Party of Prince Norodom Chakravuth earned the remaining five seats in the seventh general election on July 23.

All the 125 lawmakers-elect were present at the opening session, as foreign diplomats and representatives of international organizations to the country were also invited to the event.

Speaking to the opening session, Sihamoni expressed his confidence that the parliament would continue fulfilling its duty as stipulated in the constitution in order to ensure political, socio-economic and cultural sustainability and to build a firm and modernized kingdom based on laws.

After his speech, the king posed for a group photo with all the lawmakers-elect in front of the National Assembly before returning to the Royal Palace.

According to an official schedule, all the lawmakers-elect are expected to take an oath of allegiance at the Royal Palace on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday, the National Assembly is due to conduct a "package vote" to simultaneously elect its leadership and to give a vote of confidence to the new five-year-term government led by Hun Sen's eldest son Hun Manet.

Hun Manet, 45, is expected to be sworn in as the new prime minister of Cambodia on Tuesday afternoon.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Phnom Penh.
(XHTV)