Hun Sen

Hun Sen
Name	Hun Sen
Caption	Hun Sen in 2019
Office	Prime Minister of Cambodia
Term start	30 November 1998
Term end	22 August 2023
Predecessor1	Ung Huot
Successor1	Hun Manet
Term start2	14 January 1985
Term end2	2 July 1993
Predecessor2	Chan Sy
Successor2	Norodom Ranariddh
Office3	President of the Cambodian People's Party
Term start3	20 June 2015
Term end3	22 August 2023
Predecessor3	Chea Sim
Successor3	Hun Manet
Birth date	5 August 1952
Birth place	Peam Kaoh Sna, Stung Trong District, Kampong Cham Province, French Indochina
Party	Cambodian People's Party (CPP)
Spouse	Bun Rany
Children	Hun Manet, Hun Manith, Hun Many, and others
Allegiance	Khmer Rouge (1967–1977), Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation (1977–1979), People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979–1989), State of Cambodia (1989–1993), Kingdom of Cambodia (1993–2023)
Branch	Royal Cambodian Armed Forces

Hun Sen is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who served as the Prime Minister of Cambodia from 1985 to 2023, making him one of the world's longest-serving non-royal leaders. A dominant figure in modern Cambodian history, his tenure oversaw the country's transition from the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge regime and Cambodian–Vietnamese War to a period of relative stability and economic growth, albeit amid persistent allegations of authoritarianism and human rights abuses. He led the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to consecutive electoral victories, consolidating power through a combination of political maneuvering, control of the state apparatus, and strategic alliances.

Early life and military career

Born in Kampong Cham Province during the French Indochina era, he joined the Communist Party of Kampuchea in the late 1960s, fighting for the Khmer Rouge against the Khmer Republic of Lon Nol. He lost his left eye in combat during the Cambodian Civil War. Following the Khmer Rouge's victory in 1975, he served as a regimental commander in the Eastern Zone but fled to Vietnam in 1977, becoming a founding member of the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation. He returned with the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1979, which overthrew the Democratic Kampuchea regime led by Pol Pot.

Rise to power

Following the establishment of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, he was appointed Foreign Minister in 1979. He became Prime Minister in 1985, leading the State of Cambodia government during the final years of the Cambodian–Vietnamese War and the subsequent United Nations peace process. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords led to the UNTAC-administered 1993 election, won by FUNCINPEC under Norodom Ranariddh. After a political crisis, a power-sharing arrangement was forged, making Ranariddh First Prime Minister and him Second Prime Minister.

Prime Minister of Cambodia

He orchestrated a violent coup in July 1997 to oust Ranariddh, solidifying his sole control. After the 1998 election, he was reinstated as sole Prime Minister. His government, backed by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, oversaw the final defeat of the Khmer Rouge, the establishment of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, and significant economic development centered on garment exports, tourism, and agriculture. Major infrastructure projects were often funded by China through the Belt and Road Initiative. His rule was marked by the systematic weakening of political opposition, notably through legal actions against the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved by the Supreme Court of Cambodia in 2017.

Political style and controversies

His political style is characterized as highly personalistic and authoritarian, maintaining control through a vast patronage network, influence over the judiciary, and dominance of media outlets like Bayon Television. His tenure faced consistent criticism from organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the European Union for suppressing freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and political dissent. Notable incidents include the 1997 coup, the 2015 assault on opposition parliamentarian Kem Sokha, and the defamation and tax cases used against critics like Kem Ley and Sam Rainsy.

Foreign policy and international relations

His foreign policy initially balanced relations with Vietnam and China, but later pivoted decisively towards Beijing, which became his regime's primary economic and diplomatic patron. Relations with the United States and the European Union were often strained over democracy and human rights concerns, leading to sanctions like the partial withdrawal of the Everything but Arms trade scheme. He maintained close ties with neighboring Thailand and Laos, despite periodic border disputes, and played a role within the ASEAN framework, hosting summits in Phnom Penh.

Personal life and legacy

He is married to Bun Rany, a senator and president of the Cambodian Red Cross. Their children hold prominent positions, most notably his eldest son, Hun Manet, a Royal Cambodian Army general who succeeded him as Prime Minister in August 2023 after a carefully managed transition. His legacy is profoundly divisive; credited by supporters with ending decades of conflict and fostering development, he is condemned by critics for dismantling multi-party democracy and presiding over widespread corruption. His nearly four-decade rule indelibly shaped the modern Kingdom of Cambodia.

Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Prime Ministers of Cambodia Category:Cambodian People's Party politicians